Corpse Party: Blood Drive Aftermath
by IIonezerozero
Summary: "This all started with a farewell party. A party so we could all be together. Forever. My friends, I will not abandon you. We will meet again. Now, just try and stop me. I dare you." The events take place after the good end of Blood Drive and extend up to the events of Corpse Party Dead Patient. Includes; CP:C TCAM, CP:TS, CP:BC, CP:BC (RF), CP:BD
1. Return - Prelude - Aftermath

The beep of a message being received reverberates in the dark room.

When the person in front of the keyboard opens up the mailbox to check it a long list of messages all titled with the same topic, "Paranormal Investigator ********'s Spiritual Contact: Consultance forum"

A man with short, black hair releases a sigh, and turns back to corner of the room.

"There's quite a lot of these ya know, what should we do with them…?"

He says with a troubled but gentle tone.

In the corner of the room, lit by the light from a near bye window, a woman sits, unmoving. She's wearing a white cardigan, and her unfocussed eyes shows no sign of consciousness. In the light of the sun she was like a plant.

"….let's close the window, shall we. You'll catch a cold, Shinozaki"

**5 Years Ago - Kisaragi Academy Senior high, Commemoration event for the victims of "The day of darkness"**

The gymnasium was packed with grieving students, teachers and parents. The principal appeared before the podium and began to speak.

"Today, we are here in commemoration of our friends and colleagues who we have lost during "The day of darkness".

"We will remember them both as friends and instructors who worked both in and out of the school in order to assist the development of future generations, and the benefit of our community. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost children, and siblings during that event.

This academy has lost many wonderful people.

Ms Yui Shishido was a bright and cheerful instructor who treasured her students greatly and was treasured by them in return. Although she was young and experienced her love for her pupils was beyond measure. She truly was an example to us all. Her loss is a great blow to our school.

Ms. Kuon Niwa, a newly appointed assistant homeroom teacher, her dedication to her students was inspiring. Often she would sit down with students discussing their future possibilities and assisting them in subjects they struggled. Even with her added responsibilities as CEO of a company, she always had time for her students.

Seiko Shinohara, was a lively individual, always providing cheer and merriment for her friends and teachers. Her spirit and liveliness were a source of happiness for all who knew her. Our hearts also go out to her family and siblings. We have lost a great friend and person.

Mayu Suzumoto was a welcoming girl fair in her treatment of others and loved by both her classmates and teachers. Her talents within the Drama society were great often single handedly managing multiple aspects of a production from costume design to script writing as well as acting. She will be sorely missed.

Sakutaro Morishige was an outstanding pupil doing well both academically and in the arts. His efforts and performance both in and out of the classroom were an inspiration to those around him and were the actions of a dedicated student, pursuing an objective in life. His example will not be forgotten.

Although they may have been taken from us, far before their time, we will continue to uphold their memory and existence."

I gripped Satoshi's hand harder, as tears welled up from beneath my eyes. I felt his hand tighten around mine as well.

I looked up at him, he smiled sadly, without tears but with anguish. Around us I could hear sniffles and sobs.

Mayu's parents had broken down and were weeping openly.

Seiko's father stood behind his sons. Seiko's brother Yuu had a hand on each of his little sibling's shoulders, both crying loudly. He was struggling not to cry as well, but the tears streamed silently down his cheeks.

Morishige's father stood silently, with his head bowed. His mother was crying into a handkerchief hiding her tears.

"Seiko…" I whispered, and wept.

As we were leaving the gymnasium amidst the rain I noticed an odd pair standing by the door.

A high school boy in a black jacket and red T-shirt with blond hair holding an umbrella above a girl in a wheel chair with an eye patch, her hair was in two twin tails that lay above her shoulders covered in a tan shawl over an olive green shirt. She had what looked like an encyclopaedia wrapped in a small light green blanket on her lap. Her open eye was dull and unfocussed, her face lifeless.

As we passed them the boy said, "Ok, let's go, Shinozaki."

When I looked back, the only thing that greeted my gaze was the rain.

* * *

**Authors Note**: Hi everyone, I'd just like to thank everyone who's kept up so far. This is pretty much my first fic that I've ever posted. So I'd love reviews although with only 3000 some words it's a bit hard to say anything about XD. Anyways Ayumi was never my favorite character neither was she my most hated. Still during the events of Blood Drive she grew on me quite a bit (being the MC as well probably helped). Anyways I started getting some ideas for this back when I saw the opening of Dead Patient which Blood Drive really helped flesh out.

As the summary says this is pretty much based off of Blood Drives's "Good" ending, I've done a general recap in "Chapter 2 - Recap" of the events that occurred in Blood drive but re-reading my own fic makes me realise I might have provided too little context, again reviewing helps me out in making the distinction between the two.

It's pretty bloody so far but as the tags state this is a "hurt/comfort" fic and there WILL be heartwarming scenes as well as bloody scenes. We've been stuck in the Heavenly Host - Nirvana so it's been pretty blood covered but we'll hopefully be back in the real world by chapter 6 or 7.

Also these first few chaps are planned to be merged into 1 big one later on as the story grows.

On the topic of chapters. I know, I hate cliffhangers too but I'd rather end in a cliff hanger than resolve the events easily or lacking in description.

Anyways that's about it from me now, hope you enjoy!


	2. Return - Chapter 1 - Recap

Heavenly Host Elementary School, a place full of the curses and despair of the dead.

It was thought to be a construct from Sachiko's hatred of the living and the hatreds of all she had murdered to send to her departed mother for company or for her entertainment. In reality it was a far more sinister existence. Yoshie Shinozaki, Sachiko's mother in attempt to reunite with her departed husband had used a spell from a forbidden tome, the Book of Shadows. A grimoire created to store the combined wisdom of the witches who had been persecuted during their time.

The spell called "Land of Corpse" was meant to bring forth a dimension where the dead could be brought back, in reality it was nothing but a theory within the book with no successful cases in the past. Yoshie in her desperation cast the spell and in exchange for opening up a method to commune with her dead husband it erased his existence within the world and began to consume Yoshie's existence as well. Sachiko who had inherited immense spiritual power. To save her mother consumed the spell itself sealing within her the dimension created by the spell known as Nirvana a sealed off existence where the dead were not allowed reincarnation and were forever trapped inside.

Yoshie understanding the severity of her mistake began to research a way to undo the spell in order to prevent it from ever being released, for if it was the trapped souls would grow restless becoming malevolent and in the end would begin to feast on the souls of the living as well. Although Sachiko had consumed it, Yoshie feared what would happened should Sachiko ever die.

However, before she could achieve any of this the events that killed both her and her daughter occurred and the Nirvana consumed by Sachiko was released. However with her immense spiritual power and hatred Sachiko brought the very dimension to its knees creating the Heavenly Host Elementary School out of it in order to sooth her Mother's lonely soul and to avenge their deaths.

Sachiko was released due to the efforts of 5 mortal souls. Her soul was allowed to ascend and Heavenly Host was thought to have ceased to exist.

But, Heavenly Host was never the true form of the Nirvana. Masterless and left to its own designs reversion from the Heavenly Host to its original state was inevitable and the souls trapped inside, were still there.

However, Ayumi Shinozaki, an heir to the Shinozaki bloodline, one tasked to be the custodians of both the Book of Shadows and the Nirvana was tempted by a mysterious boy in a hoodie called Mist with the promise to resurrect her friends. She re-entered the Nirvana to find the Book of Shadows. Using the Ever After stones Ayumi returned to Heavenly Host alone to revive her friends.

In truth Mist merely used Ayumi to gather up the power of the Book of Shadows in order to create his own grimoire, and using its power fully teardown the divisions between the Nirvana and the real world flooding it with death.

His plan failed however when Ayumi managed to recover the true Book of Shadows and reclaimed its power from him. This was not enough to prevent death from spilling into the real world as the Nirvana itself possessed a consciousness wishing to spread itself into the real world.

In order to prevent this Ayumi travelled to the core of the Nirvana and confronted and console it sealing both the "Nirvana" and its core within the Book of Shadows.

Of course her friends followed her into the Nirvana and faced the horrors of it, including Sachiko's unborn "vanishing twin" Sachi who had found her way to her little sister's previous domain and both helped and harmed them. Turned into a spirit from before she was born, she has no understanding of others or of right or wrong. She was an existence of pure, innocent, evil.

In the end Ayumi remained in Heavenly Host in order to consume the Nirvana much like Sachiko had in the past. Without Sachiko's immense spiritual power however, not only would she be unable to return after consuming it, but as she consumed the Nirvana it in turn would consume her existence and she would be removed from the memories of everyone not even in the memories of the people who had become trapped in Heavenly Host.

This occurred 5 years ago.


	3. Return - Chapter 2 - Flashback

**Heavenly Host Elementary School – Nirvana**

"Kyaaaaaaaa!"

Yuka screamed as she fell, only a few meters from the main entrance, Satoshi immediately turning around to her.

"I'm scared, Oniiii-chan"

"We're almost there, just a little more!"

Satoshi was carrying Naomi, her bleeding eye still covered by the eye patch from Kuon-sensei.

"We must hurry!" Aiko said, helping Yuka up.

As they stood up and continued running Yoshiki stopped.

"What's wrong?... Kishinuma?" Naomi called noticing this from Satoshi's back.

"Will she… only disappear from our memories?"

"Huh?" Naomi's uncovered eye blinks.

"After she's consumed Nirvana what's going to happen? Can she come back to our world?" Yoshiki seems to be asking himself.

"Yoshiki! If we don't hurry we'll…"

"What she needs now, is right inside this Nirvana!"

"Wha?! Wait, Yoshiki!"

Yoshiki suddenly turned around and began running back into the Nirvanified elementary school, retracing the route they'd just ran back from.

"You guys get out!" Yoshiki's voice echoed from around a corner, then….

CRASH

The entire main lobby of the elementary school collapsed blocking the main entrance, the only exit to this world blocked from the rest of the building.

"…! You've got to be kidding!?" Satoshi breathed.

An explosion rumbles deep from within the school, then the only sound was the quiet rumble, of its echo.

Rumble, Crack, Snap

If the end of the world had a sound, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the screaming building sounded like it. It sounded as if every event in Yoshikazu's dissection room was being replayed through a megaphone, every blow, every thump, every crack.

Yoshiki didn't have time to think about that though, he didn't think much most of the time. However, the only thing going through his mind was determination. All other thoughts were unneeded and ignored. All that mattered was if he could dodge and run, if he fell he could get up, and if something blocked or snagged him he could tear his way through.

"Hah, huff, ugh, huff, hah"

The air itself was thick with blood. This flesh like "Nirvana" which coated the skeleton of Heavenly Host like a rotting skin was breaking down and with each quake the crumbling world trembled and blood spurted out in many different forms.

Some spurted and dribbled as wooden beams cracked and pierced the flesh that coated it like a broken bone.

Others, from the gradual weight of the school, were squeezed like a boil, the skinless flesh folding and crumpling, until, like paper folded beyond its limit, tore open letting out a torrent of blood like an exploding fire hydrant, and where the ceiling had collapsed smashing flesh against flesh, blood was released with such violence it became vapour. Blood, flesh and fat saturated the air like a mist.

Yoshiki wasn't immune to it, he was just an ordinary human high schooler. Every breath felt like he was drowning, lacking in oxygen but filling his lungs and then clinging there. His eyes and nose stung from it as if he had been kicked into a pool with no goggles on and eyes wide open. But instead of chlorine it was blood that stung him, infused him, covered him. Still he ran, slipping and sliding, jumping over the gaping, now flesh covered pits yawning open in the floors.

"Huff, cough, cough, huff,….?!" He'd slipped not on the blood flooded floors of Heavenly Host but the on the cement of the Covered Walkway. His head slamming into the wooden hand rails as he struggled to keep his balance. His shoes had so much gore stuck in between them that they had lost all traction, the soles looked like he'd skinned his feet bare with a belt grinder.

"Dammit!" Kicking off his shoes and socks he stuck his head from under the roof into the pelting rain.

"…! There it is!" The sleeve of Mist's shirt clung to the limp arm hanging from the second floor window of the Annex of Heavenly Host.

"Just wait for me Shinozaki, I'm coming!" Yoshiki ducked back under the roof and started running again the slapping of bare skin on concrete melding into the wet slaps of meat against meat.


	4. Return - Chapter 3 - Reuniting

**Heavenly Host Elementary School Annex - Nirvana**

Yoshiki ran through the annex turning right from the entrance, his bare feet sinking into the dissolving floor. The collapsing building growling like a wounded animal.

The hallway was no longer rectangular, coupled with the wrinkled flesh of the Nirvana that coated everything, it felt like he was running through the intestines of some monster rather than a building.

"Huff, hah, just a little more, hold on Shinozaki!"

The school groaned in reply, the doorway to the stairs leading to the second floor snapping from a rectangle into a deformed ellipse. Leaping through it he started running up the stairs which by some miracle of engineering or fate remained relatively intact.

He began running up the stairs but quickly slipped and was washed back down to the bottom.

"...! Cough, hack, cough, cough, dammit"

Although intact the stairs were covered with a stream of blood flowing from the second floor, it seemed that gravity still worked in this twisted dimension.

Grabbing onto the meaty railing Yoshiki began to pull himself up the stairs, fighting against the stream and his own weight arm after arm. His nails dug into the meat of Nirvana as the stream caught on his legs and pulled at his feet.

As he got to to the top of the stairs his eyes widened and his mouth gaped. "Wha... what, the fuck, is going on here!?" He yelled

The second floor hallway no longer looked as if it was in 3D, like a painting by M.C. Escher. It had been warped and stretched as if someone had grabbed both ends of it and twisted it like a butcher would an uncooked sausage. The source of the stream flowed in a spiral following the twisted floor even when the floor became the ceiling. Droplets fell downwards, upwards, and sideways from the ceiling, it too drawn, unconditionally to the floor of the hallway. It looked like some demented water slide with fountains of fluid shooting inwards.

"Dammit, it doesn't matter, where the hell is Mist?"

Pushing off from the railing he splashed through the flow.

"Shit, I've got to hurry, not much time left!" Running forward he walked on the walls and ceilings which sprayed him from below with droplets and when his path intersected with the floor he jumped over it to dodge the ever growing stream that stuck to it.

"...! Found it" Mist's sneakers peeked out from a fold in the meaty hallway. Grabbing on to it Yoshiki pulled out Mist's corpse.

"...?! ugh." It was missing it's head, the hood was missing as well the neck and collar ragged as if something had snagged violently on them. He couldn't figure out whether his head had been smashed apart merging with the background of the school or it had been removed by one of the many horrors that existed within it.

"Where did you hide them?" Rifling through the pockets on the hoodie Yoshiki pulled out a few coins, and a piece of chalk from the right pocket. Sticking his hand into the left pocket he felt 2 cold smooth objects.

"This is it!" Pulling out his hand he looked at the two blue stones that fit together forming a blue square with a black rectangle inside. "Now all I have to do is find Shino... Whoa!"

Another quake pulsed through the building this one releasing the twisting with the hallway. Like an over coiled spring the hall way snapped back into its previous form flinging Yoshiki face first into floor.

"...?! PFFFFT, COUGH, HACK, RETCH, DAMMIT I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS." Getting up, spitting out the bloody stream he'd been dumped in, he began charging forward to what had been the entrance to the Girls Toilet Satoshi and the others had only come out of only moments before, back to her.

"Urk!, What the hell?!" He was brought to a sudden halt, falling backwards as something yanked him by his jacket. "OOF, cough, Wha?!" Mist's corpse had grabbed the back of his jacket as he has turned around to stand up. The lower half was already gone, sucked into the floor like a noodle and his other hand was whipping out to grab Yoshiki's head.

"Whoa, shit!" Ducking the hand Yoshiki twisted out of his jacket like a lizard cutting off its tail. "I don't have time for you, ya bastard!" leaving behind the thrashing corpse to continue sinking into the meat Yoshiki turned back running through the hall, slipping as he tried to stop and falling in a heap in front of the door.

"Almost there, come on, wait for me Shinozaki, just wait!" Scrambling up grabbing the door frame for support he clawed himself upright and grabbed the door with one hand and wrenched it open.

"SHINOZAKI!" He was back, in this impossibly massive space, bits of floorboard stuck out from the doorway into the void, forming almost a net of planks splintering outwards from the flesh like some sort of horribly deformed nail. The Sky glowed red and pulsed with red light. Unlike before part of the platform Shinozaki had been on had crumbled forming a wooden mesh, leaning on the wood from the doorway like some mix of slope and a ladder.

"Shinozaki, where are you!" Yoshiki called running onto the planks. (She was up there last time, next to that lump of flesh. I can't see either of them now. Did they go further in? Don't tell me she fell!)

"Shinozaki! Shinozaki?!" Still yelling he reached the collapsed part of the platform and began to climb it.

"Almost there. Come on. Don't go doing something stupid while I'm not there you idiot."

Clambering up onto the platform he can see the lump of flesh or what remained of it that she had been trying to consume. The Nirvana that she had tried to seal inside herself like Sachiko had previously.

(Looks like it's broken up into two pieces, but where the hell is she?! Wait... there's the book!)

Running up to the smaller chunk he can see the Book of Shadows. Its eyes glowing red and tongue lazily tasting the air. The perpetual toothy grin seeming wider than usual.

"Hey, where the hell is she! Where is Shinozaki?!" Yoshiki grabbed the book and yelled, shaking it violently.

"MWA HA HA HA HA" The book replies with laughter

"STOP SCREWING AROUND, WHERE IS SHINOZAKI?!" Yoshiki yells at the book gripping it so hard his knuckles turn white.

"Can you not see, with thy own eyes boy?" The dead voice book echoes amidst the rumbling that has now become the background of this crumbling realm.

"WHERE IS SHE, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?" Yoshiki screams like a child, tears and blood run down his face. From his hair, his eyes, his nose, and his mouth.

"She is right in front of you, do you not see my dear master?"

"Wha..." Yoshiki's eyes look over the book, he sees a red hair tie, a few strands of black hair are still stuck to it either trapped in the elastic or glued to it by the blood. Next to it is the smaller clump of meat.

"...!?" There's one part of this meat that isn't red, it's on a small lump pointing towards him. A small circle of white surrounding a dull sphere of blue.

The book slips from his hands, his body which moments before gripped, scratched, clawed, twisted, and strained stopped moving. His vision which took in pit falls, debris, which remained clear even when sprayed with blood narrowed down to that single uncovered spot.

"...ulp...ugh...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"


	5. Return - Chapter 4 - Price

**? ? ? – Nirvana**

The rumbling of the world around them is the only sound that echoes in this space, deep and echoing. It was as if someone had covered your ears with their palms. The vibrations that shook Heavenly Host did not reach this place the floor boards did not shake or quiver but remained there, floating in the black red void.

Yoshiki only stared at Ayumi's eye, everything else he couldn't recognize. The Book of Shadows beside him perched precariously between two planks. Its long fleshy tongue once again swayed back and forth, side to side lazily. The red lights in its eye sockets did not move and were firmly locked onto Yoshiki's face.

"It was to be expected." It said.

Yoshiki continues to stare at Ayumi's eye.

"The power of my master was not sufficient to seal the Nirvana." It began. "The power was inferior to that of Sachiko. Any attempt to swallow the Nirvana would have resulted in this conclusion, much less to force the Nirvana to relinquish the existences it has consumed."

The rumbling continues but the door way Yoshiki used to enter here has collapsed. The doorframe has changed from a rectangle to a horizontal line. It drools blood into the abyss silently.

"This fate was chosen, as opposed to passing it on to the next generation."

Shinozaki's lightly smiling face appeared in Yoshiki's head _"Thank you, everyone. But somebody has to do it. ... I'll do it."_

"However, my master's task is not yet complete."

At this Yoshiki's empty face twisted.

"...Stop screwing around... What do you mean it's not complete?! Hasn't she been hurt enough? Didn't she sacrifice enough? What more do you want from her?! She didn't do anything wrong! She just wanted to get everybody back! She just wanted to say she was sorry to everyone! Why does this have to happen to her?! Why! WHY!" he is standing, trembling, fists balled, brow furrowed.

"The consumption of the Nirvana is not yet complete. Nor the restoration of the existences lost. Thus her task is not complete." The unmoved tone of the book returns from the floor staring up into his face. Tongue still waggling lazily.

"My master still has not given enough. Swallowing the Nirvana will in turn consume the master's existence. When dealing with the Nirvana damage to one's existence is to be expected."

_"__You will not remain in the memories of anybody, you will not be thought of by anybody. All signs of the life you lived will all be erased. Think deeply about it."_ The Book of Shadows had said to Ayumi in front of all of them. But Yoshiki had disregarded it, only trying to reach Ayumi, to get her home, to get her out.

"You've got to be shitting me..." Yoshiki exhaled weakly. "Then what, is everything she did useless. Didn't we get back everyone? That's just too..." He collapses back onto his knees.

*Scritch, scratch

"Huh?" Yoshiki turns back to the lump of meat that was Ayumi Shinozaki. She was moving, her right arm stretching out nails digging into the wood, fingers spearing themselves on the splinters in order to provide additional traction.

Her vacant eye remained dim and unfocussed but her face was pointed towards the larger clump of meat, the remainder of the Nirvana.

"Oi! Shinozaki, stop, we've got to get you out of here, we need to... UWAAA" As he reached over to grab onto Ayumi's left shoulder it came off. With a wet pop her entire arm came off in Yoshiki's hand. Dropping it in surprise it began to evaporate into nothingness as if the air itself were some powerful acid dissolving it.

"Shinozaki, oi, stop moving, stop it, you've already tried enough, you've already done enough. Stop being such an IDIOT!" Yoshiki collapses.

"Please... just stop, stop it... please." Ayumi right arm has stuck itself into the wood far enough and begins to contract. Her body slides across the planks loose bits of gore and blood smear the planks she drags herself over like a bloody slime trail left behind by some bloody gastropod. Her right big toe gets caught in a hole in one of the planks and comes off, silently.

"My master still continues the task, I am assisting where I can." The Book explains.

"Your presence here is a distraction and a nuisance. You are neither of the Shinozaki blood line nor do you have any spiritual ability." Yoshiki clenches his teeth, holds his head in his hands, and crumples to his knees.

"Heed my advice, leave. You have the means to exit this world. My master's existence is already greatly weakened without your interference."

Yoshiki gets up, his hands are relaxed and his face calm.

"All you have to do is swallow this right?" He asks the book nodding to the remaining part of the Nirvana in front of them

"Indeed, however without a form of spiritual protection or ability, your existence will suffer, greatly."

Is it a trick of the light or did those orbs in the book grow brighter?

Yoshiki walks over to Ayumi. Gently he cradles her body supporting it so won't fall apart, applying as little pressure as possible, almost lying down next to her. He cradles her head supporting her neck with his left arm and gently patting her head with his right palm. "It's okay, it's going to be okay, Shinozaki" She stops moving, if he listens very carefully he can hear her breath whispering from her. "Even if it's just me, I think I can at least save you." Gently lying her back down on the planks he picks himself up and starts walking toward the other clump of meat. It looked almost as if someone had set up a very badly made tent, lumpy and misshapen. Unsymmetrical from every angle, it squatted there. It didn't move nor did it twitch.

(Last time I was here it was as bigger than this, way bigger. It stretched so far up and down we couldn't even see where it ended, it wasn't this far in either. Did she eat the rest of it?)

In this world time and space are disjointed, what happened 5 minutes ago could have happened 5 days or 5 years ago. Ayumi Shinozaki had swallowed the Nirvana non-stop and continued to even as it ate her; her skin, her hair, her muscles, her intestines, and her mind. The only thing holding her body together at this point was the magic of the Book of Shadows and even with it merely coming in contact with an existence other than her, fragmented her body.

As Yoshiki came closer an eye popped open in the mound of flesh. It had a brown iris and squirmed from side to side before focusing on Yoshiki. Seeing himself reflected in it he cracked his knuckles, smirked and said, "Alright you expired meatball, let's get this over with."


	6. Return - Chapter 5 - Swallow

**? ? ? – Nirvana - Yoshiki**

I stood in front of the Nirvana. The clump of meat didn't move, the newly opened eye stared up into my face. It didn't even blink. The Nirvana was capable of moving, the way it had pulsated and covered the walls of heavenly host as well as how it had swallowed Mist's corpse proved this. Yet here it just sat there its eye just looking at me. I saw my own eyes reflected in its huge black pupil. We were both giving each other the same look.

I looked around to see if there were any pieces I could pull off but, although lumpy, there weren't any parts sticking out. Just lumps and dents on its surface as it continued to squat there looking at me.

"Looks like there's no other way to do this." I reached up with both hands and grabbed onto it.

"?! Whoa!" My fingers simply slid into it, it was disgusting. Like rotten peaches or some sort of mince. My fingers were sucked in with a wet sound like something you'd hear as the last bit of water went down the drain after you pulled the plug in a bath tub or sink. I wanted to throw up, but I grit my teeth and push into it. The texture slides up my fingers, across my hands. I stop pushing once it reaches my wrists.

"Hnnnngggaaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

I pull, scooping out a clump from right beneath the eye. It leaves its owner with a slurping sound. I'm closing my eyes, this sounds disgusting enough I don't need to see it.

I can feel it sitting there in my hands. It's not falling apart like I expected. The bit I pulled out sits there. I can't feel it dripping through my fingers or over my hands. It's still in one piece. A tiny bit of me is disappointed, the less that falls, the more that remains.

I'm breathing through my mouth, I'm trying to cut off the feeling to my tongue.

"Hrnng, mmmm… mHMMMMMMMMM!"

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS! DID SHINOZAKI REALLY SWALLOW THIS!

"MMMMMMMMMMHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"

I'm holding my mouth shut, I can't trust it.

"mmmhmmmm…nghhhhh…nnnnn. Huff, haah, haah…! AAAAGGGHHHH".

The moment I swallowed it I felt heat, in a line, heat and pain going across my lower back. I keep my mouth shut with my hands, it tastes sour and bitter. I'd thrown up. Getting it back down again took long enough for me to figure out what had happened. When we last saw Shinozaki take the first bite out of this thing a spray of blood had burst out of her back as if someone had whipped her. My back hurts but I can still move it, only the skin seems to have been cut.

"Gah, hurk, huff…wretch". I dry heave, lucky.

I look up towards the clump. I'd collapsed after I swallowed that chunk. I couldn't remember when.

That eye was looking at me, staring down at me. It still had that same look.

Shit, I must look pathetic, being looked down on by some fucking piece of meat.

I get up on one knee, then bring up the other.

Like it had with Shinozaki, after part of it was eaten the entire mound had shrunk, probably vaporising into that red mist we'd seen last time we were here. I didn't see it this time. It was the size of a car before, now it had shrunk down to the size of a cow.

Grunting I reach up again with both hands and carve out another chunk.

"mmmffffffmmm….hnnnnnnnnngggggggg….!"

This time I didn't yell out, opening my mouth now was just too risky. I just clamped my hands around it forcing the piece into my mouth and locking it behind both teeth and fingers.

My head felt like it had been split open. It felt like that one time I'd been sucker punched in the jaw and fell backwards into a telephone pole. I had to get 6 stiches for my scalp that time.

It's gone down to the size of a dinner table.

I can't smell anything.

Another scoop, another swallow, this time the pain comes from my right shoulder. I can't feel my right arm.

Did it get smaller? I can't tell, I can still see it looking at me.

I reach out with my left hand and grab a handful of it from beside the eye.

...

The way it was looking at me, it was the look I'd seen a number of times. Probably the one I gave to that asshole gym teacher, Tsubota.

What was it that stupid book said? That as the Nirvana got eaten it would eat my existence as well?

I wonder what I look like at the moment, would I be able to look into a mirror and recognize myself?

I open my eyes, at least I still have them.

The piece of meat is still there, it's about the size of a pillow. Sort'a looks like one as well, though I'd never want to sleep on it…

Fuck, I don't have time to think about these sort of things. I have to get Shinozaki out.

Just a little more, a little more…

…

Did I swallow it? I can't remember. I can't feel most of my body. I could have shit myself and I wouldn't have known. I can't smell, or see anything. My sense of touch is pretty much constant pain.

I can hear the wind, too bad I can't feel it. My body feels hot on the outside but my guts are freezing like I got some sort of really bad stomach flu. I feel like shit.

I need to get up, that had to be the last bit. All I have to do is open my eyes grab Shinozaki and then use those stupid stones that started all this.

Come on, get up goddammit, GET UP YOSHIKI. Didn't I say I'd protect her, back in that stinking toilet in Heavenly Host the first time we'd come here? Wasn't I being tested, if I really meant that "no matter what happens" part? What's the point of ditching Satoshi and the others, running through this stupid world? What's the point of just disappearing from everyone's memories? Just to roll over and die like some stray dog in a ditch? Fucking open, goddammit! I need to see if I'm done. I need to see if I can get Shinozaki and get out of here! Open Dammit! OPEN! 

My eyes open, the first thing I see is an eye surrounded by meat looking back at me.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi folks, just gonna say, I am really tired today. I'm working on a summer project called the iGEM and it can be soul crushing at times. Quite strange though since one of my PCRs actually worked so I have no real reason to be sad or depressed. Maybe the relief of knowing I haven't completely screwed up my job is getting to me. I work with more motivation when under pressure or tension. A lack of it makes me lazy. XP I don't think my best work has ever been done under pressure, however.

I switched to the first person for Yoshiki's point of view after writing 700 words and not liking it being in the 3rd person. I couldn't really get in and describe what he felt or thought from that perspective.

I'm also not a massive fan of writing in swear words, I probably swear a lot when talking casually though. Felt it was justified by how Yoshiki is getting more and more desperate with each swallow. He is an ex-delinquent as well so it's pretty believable from my point of view. I was actually quite annoyed by how often I had to use I though in one section because I write these sequences in Japanese in my head and I don't have to use "I" as often as I have to do in English due to the word order, but that may be just me being bad at using commas however. Might review this chapter sometime in the future.


	7. Return - Chapter 6 - Everyone

**? ? ? - Nirvana ? ? ?**

It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. I don't know what hurts and doesn't hurt. It just hurts.

_Bleached hair._

I want to cry, but it hurts when I cry. So I don't cry. It hurts, it hurts.

Why does it hurt? I don't remember. It hurts.

I can't see anything, are my eyes closed? I can't tell. All I see is white.

Do I even have eyes? I think I lost my right eye. Somebody took it, but I wasn't sad. I gave it to them. Why though I wonder, why did I give them my eye?

It hurts, it hurts.

_Red_

Where am I? It's hot, it's cold, the ground is hard. I want to go home. Home? Where is home? Is there someone waiting there?

I don't know. I think there was, but now I don't know.

What am I doing here? I can't move my legs. It hurts, it hurts.

Who was I? I can't remember who I was. I had to do something very important, but I can't remember what it was.

It was very painful, but it was okay because there was something I was protecting...

Protecting? From what? Who was I protecting?

_Rude, no delicacy what so ever._

It's white, so white, I want stop seeing it but I can't stop it.

"...i...ki..."

Huh? What was that?

"...za..."

Is someone there? I can't hear very well.

"Sh...i"

Are they looking for someone? I hope they find them.

Why did I think that? Is it because I want them to be happy?

"...!...!"

I can't make out what they're saying, but it's loud. Are they angry?

I think I know this voice, I've heard it before, somewhere.

I wonder why, think it about it makes me sad. I didn't think I could hurt anymore than this.

"Shinozaki-san"

I can hear another voice, but it's not from outside, I can hear it clearly.

"Class-rep! Good morning!"

Another voice, who is that?

"Shinozaki, (sigh) you really like scary stories a lot don't you?"

What is this feeling, I feel lighter, the pain isn't as bad.

"Ayumi, are you alright? (chuckle) Do you want a cuddle?"

Big...sister?

Oh, that's right. I had a big sister. I was the class rep of class 2-9. I liked telling scary stories, even though I was a afraid of them a little myself.

I am Shinozaki, Ayumi. And I stayed here. Here in the Nirvana. Because someone had to do it. Because leaving Suzumoto-san, Shinohara-san, and Morishige-kun here was too sad.

I don't want to lose anybody anymore. I want to protect everyone. I want to apologize to everyone, even if I can't be forgiven. I want to say I'm sorry, to Big sis. I don't want Mochida - kun and the others to get hurt because of me.

"St... ... ew... ...nd... ... ...d... ..ete?...sh... ... ... b... ...ur... ...ough... ...ba... ... ...wro... wh... ...HY!"

This voice, I remember it. Bleached hair, red T-shirt. Rude, no delicacy what so ever.

Kishinuma-kun

He looked so sad, down on the platform below me. I can't tell how much time has passed since then. They should have gotten out. I made sure of it, I opened a portal into the real world with the Book of Shadows's power. Mochida-kun can get them out. Even though he's such a scaredy cat he's surprisingly dependable.

Kishinuma-kun, I hope he's alright. He was crying, last time I saw him. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know you probably won't forgive me for doing this but I'm sorry. Kishinuma-kun, you'll be okay. You don't need me. You won't even remember me in the end.

But that's okay, because I'll remember you.

That's why, that's why I have to move on. I have to keep going. I can still sense the Nirvana. I haven't finished it, it still exists.

I have to keep moving, for everyone. So nobody else has to suffer anymore.

For Kishinuma-kun, so he doesn't have to remember me anymore.

I don't want to trouble anyone anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore.

So, everyone? I'll try my best, okay? So don't worry. I can still move.

The Nirvana is in front of me, just a few steps away. But I can't move my legs.

I need to get there, even if I have to crawl there.

I can't crawl either though, my hand keeps on slipping on the rough planks. I need to grip harder.

Ow, I can feel splinters They're digging into my hand. Was human skin this thin? I can feel the vibrations as they scratch the bones in my fingers. But I can hold onto the boards now, I just have to pull.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

My left shoulder, it hurt! It doesn't hurt now though. My left arm is completely numb. I just have to keep on moving with my right arm I guess.

Strange, I can hear Kishinuma-kun again. He's asking me to stop, just as he did when I last saw him.

Kishinuma-kun, I knew you liked me, it was pretty obvious. But I didn't know if I liked you. You were always rude and made the worst comments sometimes. Really, pointing out that there was blood on my skirt that one time. Doesn't he have any common sense?

But the time when you patted me on the head, after we met Aiko-san. Like the way my sister would do whenever I was sad. I felt really happy, I felt like everything really was alright. I wasn't even afraid of coming to this school anymore.

I wish I could have felt that again. I really liked it. It felt nice. Safe.

? I feel as if somebody is beside me. I can feel my head being lifted off the ground. I couldn't do that by myself, it hurts too much.

What... is...?

Did someone pat me on the head? I don't know. I don't know but I feel hurt. I want to cry even more. I don't know why. Why do I want to cry?

My head is on the ground again. I just lie there, feeling this pain. It feels hot, as if someone's set my chest on fire. My heart feels too small. I just want it to stop.

After this nobody will remember me. I'll just disappear. I'm sad, I smiled at everyone, at Kishinuma-kun. I said it was alright. But I feel sad, I don't want to disappear. I don't want those memories like the school festival where we did the sweet stand to disappear.

Kishinuma-kun skipped on helping out, so I had to send Mochida-kun to go find him. Apparently he tried to convince Mochida-kun to skip as well, and he ended up getting dragged back by the ear. Morishige-kun also didn't help but at least he had the excuse that he was directing the school play.

Is the Nirvana... is it disappearing? Is it getting away? No, it's being... swallowed. I can feel it, the part of the Nirvana I swallowed is still connected to the bit that remains. I can feel what's happening to it. I can feel the teeth chewing it, esophagus squeezing it. Someone is here, someone is swallowing the Nirvana.

No.

NO.

I didn't want that, I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. I don't know who's doing that, but please... stop!

STOP IT!

I can feel it, it's eating you like it did me. It's letting you eat it so it can feast on you. Please, you don't have any way to stop it from eating you. You'll end up trapped here.

Forgotten, by everyone.

I don't want that, I don't want that, I DON'T WANT THAT.

I have to hurry, I have to move.

Their soul, it's breaking already. I can feel chunks of it coming off, he's already disappearing from the real world. Parts of his past are breaking off and filled with nothing.

I've reached the Nirvana, I have to hurry. This person is still trying to eat it, I have to seal it before they harm themselves anymore. I won't let them hurt themselves anymore.

It tastes disgusting, not even like meat. It doesn't taste of blood either. It's also alive, and wants to eat me. So I can feel it in my mouth. It's poking my tongue, my teeth, my gums. It's feeling the insides of my mouth, probably to taste me.

It allows itself to be swallowed, almost crawling down my throat. I can feel it digging in, making me aware of every bump in my gullet. I don't have time to wait for it to finish its descent, I need to hurry, I need to seal it.

They fainted. That's good they can't swallow it if they're not awake, I need to hurry while I still have time.

...

...

...

It's finished, it's gone, the Nirvana is sealed. A little bit ended up in the other person. But most of it is in me.

I can't recover the bit that went into them. Maybe if I could move a bit more I could reach them.

All I can do is lie here, next to them. I can feel their breath on my face. It's warm, and soothing.

Ahhh, this is so strange.

I can almost see Kishinuma-kun in front of me.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, this segment was fun to right. There were a number of ways I had planned to write it and it changed a couple of times in my head how it should go. I originally thought of keeping it in the 3rd person but after having so much fun writing Yoshiki's point of view I decided to do this chapter in the 1st person as well. Again it was going to be Yoshiki but then I thought, "Wouldn't writing from Ayumi's point of view be more horrific?" and then I started re-watching the last Scene of Blood Drive.

You'd be surprised by the amount of material I use to make these, it doesn't only come from my head. XP, right now I have about 9 tabs open, 3 for Blood Drive to see different chapters where Ayumi is in to see how she sort of developed. 1 from Ex chaps of Blood Covered Repeated Fear, 1 for a scene in Book of Shadows, 2 for the Corpse Party Wiki, and 2 for fanfic . net. One to write this story and one to open up some of my previous chapters to make sure I'm not ret-conning anything.

There was one scene that I missed out because I felt it ruined the ending a bit and would force me to write more to make it better. It involved Ayumi kissing Yoshiki trying to suck out the Nirvana he had swallowed and then end up leaving her tongue behind in his mouth. But, yeah, that would have prevented me from writing down the last scene like that so I think that was a good choice over all.

On another design note sort of thing, I wrote out Ayumi's internal monologue in Japanese on pen and paper to see how it would look like and compared it to some of her dialogue from Blood Drive and Blood Covered. I don't know about the English translation but I think it looked pretty close to it. Also made me realize how bad my hand writing was. I was holding it up next to the screen when one of the posters on the Heavenly Host wall popped up and the hand writing looked pretty much the same.

Oh and if anybody is wondering why Yoshiki didn't notice Ayumi next to him I put it down to being flayed alive and losing ones existence and Ayumi's quite literal lack of existence. In truth it was mainly because originally he was going to wake up and find Ayumi beside him and I'd be able to whip out the sucker punch of "haha you thought he failed but it was Ayumi all along!" but then while walking to work I thought I wasn't giving Ayumi enough screen time so hence the way this chapter folded out. As for why Ayumi doesn't realize it's Yoshiki it's mainly because I don't want her too fixated on him and also she's delirious from pain. Blood loss stopped being a factor a long time ago (time is different in this place remember). If anyone wants some arbitrary numbers for how long Ayumi has been there she's been in the core of the Nirvana or ? ? ? for about half a year, I think but honestly it's not important since in the real world literally no time has passed between Satishi and co. left this dimension.


	8. Return - Chapter 7 - Return

**? ? ? - Nirvana Yoshiki**

Blue, the eye is blue. It's pointed at me but not looking at me.

When did she get here? How long have I been out?

Ugh, that doesn't matter. I sit up, ugh, I feel sick, like when Mist slammed me into that wall, when I tried to stop Shinozaki from coming back to this place. The rumbling has stopped. The red light like a setting sun shines from above, blurred as if passing through thick clouds.

The planks we were on had disappeared. We were lying over nothing, an empty, solid blackness.

The book of Shadows lay a couple meters away from us. The faint white glow it had gained ever since Shinozaki returned the consciousness of the Nirvana to it, continued to cast a ghostly pallor around it. It no longer had its tongue out although the red glow of its eyes remained.

"The Nirvana has been sealed, my master's task is complete."

I can see that, the disgusting piece of meat is gone. It's all over, we can go home.

"Oi, is she alright?"

"My master is alive, the existence remaining is very little but is sufficient to physically manifest upon the real world"

Phew, that's good. Looks like I made it. She's still breathing. I'm scared though, the image of her shoulder falling off flashes through my head.

"I am repairing her physical form, with the sealing of the Nirvana her existence is no longer being actively consumed. Coming in contact with another existence, especially a weakened one, should no longer damage my master."

? ? ? I don't get what it's saying very well but I can see what it's doing. Her misshapen torso is being pulled back together, becoming smoother, more defined. I can see where her stomach is and her legs which I could only figure out from the presence of toes at the end of them were separating, narrowing down. I could see her chest now rising and falling with each breath.

"I will treat my master's injuries, it would be a shame to lose so soon after gaining one."

I kneel down in front of her, she was lying down facing me, her right arm crossed over her chest. As I watched her body shifted.

"! Shinozaki, Shino...!" Her arm, it was re-growing. A pink cone of flesh had pushed her body forcing her to now lie on her back. She continued to stare, unblinking, at nothing.

"Hey, you" I look towards the book and spit. "Will she be fine if I bring her back to the real world?"

"Restoration of the physical form is a trivial task, process can complete during transit or finish upon arrival at destination."

I stick my hand into my left pocket, the Ever After stones are still there.

"We'll stay here for a bit. I don't think she would want anyone to see her like this, and it would be hard to explain." I state, partially to the book, partially to myself.

The book doesn't reply. I sit down next to Shinozaki. Her arm is almost completely regrown. Small finger are growing out, nails sliding out of them and stopping at the correct length. Patches of skin have begun to form. Shit, I wish I still had my school jacket. At the very least I could have used it as a blanket. My shirts too dirty to use, it's turning brown from the drying blood.

I look around, there's nothing in this place, just the dull red light in the air and darkness. The book is the only other thing in here with us.

"Is she awake?" I ask the book. She has ears again, and her lips are swelling from thin dried lines to their original size.

"My master's consciousness is internalized at the moment. Awareness of the surrounding environment is non-functional."

"Don't tell me... She's not in a coma is she?!"

"Sensory input is decreased. However my, master's extra-sensory sensitivity and verbal communication is functional. Hence, the term comatose would not apply."

"Will she get better?"

"It is possible."

That's all I need to know. I clench my fist, she's still alive, and she'll get better. I've kept my promise to myself.

"*(Sniff), heh, it's alright Shinozaki. We'll be out of here soon." Dammit, what's wrong with me, I'm tearing up for no dam reason. Third time today as well. Heh, and Satoshi was supposed to be the cry-baby.

It looks like it's finished, even her hair has grown back. The only thing missing is her right eye. It was missing when she came back from sealing the core. She said something about it being "a gentle wound" for returning her to the book.

"That wound was applied by the consciousness of the Nirvana, the act is linked to its sealing, removing the wound would remove the cause for the sealing, thus the sealing would never have occurred, it is impossible to heal with my magic."

So, there are some things the book can't do. It's alright though, Shinozaki is alive. That's all that matters. Now I just need to get her home.

I get on my knees and pick her up. Cradling her to my chest I reach into my left pocket. I pull out the Ever After stones. The book is still here, glowing. I'm not taking that thing with me, if it didn't exist then none of this would have happened in the first place. I look back down at Shinozaki. Her eye is closed, almost like she's sleeping.

"Just a little bit more Shinozaki, we'll be home soon. It's okay, it's going to be okay."

I hold one of the stones between my index and middle finger and pinch the other in my palm, then put them together. The blue glow gets brighter and a purple vortex appears beneath us. The book is outside it. A wind picks up around us swirling around us like a small typhoon.

"Nirvana, welcome, the dead!"

My vision skews, then twists.

Then, darkness.

...

...

...

"Huh!"

I suck in a gulp of air, it's clean, fresh.

I'm in my room on my bed.

We're back, back in our world.

"Ha, ha ha ha. ALRIGHT! We're back Shinozaki!... huh?"

I look around, she's not next to me.

"Shinozaki?... SHINOZAKI!" Even if she could hear me I know she can't reply, but I still yell.

"Where are you?..."

* * *

**A/N:** Hmmmm, I think I lost a follower, there were 10 last time I counted, guess my writing wasn't up to snuff, or didn't suit someone's taste. Quite depressing actually. Welp that's why I need reviews I guess to figure out what's good and what's not.

At the moment I'm going over the numbers of views against visitors I get on each chapter to figure out what was good and what wasn't. The ratio of Viewers to Visitors for chapter 1 is pretty high, showing lots of people re-read it and (I hope) therefore enjoyed it. Well as we're in the Nirvana at the moment it's a bit hard to write calmer sequences such as the one in the beginning, but most of this fic was actually envisioned around those calmer periods i.e. outside of Heavenly Host and the Nirvana. I doubt we will see much of these places from chapter 9 onwards. In truth It was meant to be chapter 7 but me experimenting with the 1st person ended up extending this segment by 2 chapters.

Not gonna apologize for that though, all good things for those who wait and all that. Anyways, review if you find anything you like and review if you find anything you don't like.


	9. This World - Prelude - Reunion

**Yoshiki's Room - Real World Yoshiki**

I couldn't find her anywhere. I'd spent the last couple of hours tearing apart my apartment looking for her. I even ended up looking under the bed, but she wasn't there either.

I ran outside to see if she was lying in the street somewhere but it was so crowded with aid workers, police, and Self Defense Force (SDF) members that I couldn't search for her.

During the short period of time the Nirvana had entered this world massive pillars called "Entity Walls" had burst out of the ground damaging the city. Not only was everything directly above them obliterated nearly instantaneously but the force they ripped out of the ground caused strong localized earthquakes.

Luckily my apartment wasn't affected by this.

The pillars had sprouted out during the middle of the day and had focused on areas with lots of people. This meant roads, highways, and business districts were hit the heaviest. The government, now no longer paralyzed by the report of paranormal incidents, was able to treat the event as a large scale earthquake and was using its protocols to deal with it accordingly. It seems a week has passed in that short span of time I was in the Nirvana, after we saw the Entity Walls burst out from the city. I haven't been able to get in contact with Satoshi and the others, but I hope they made it out.

Due to the way the Entity Walls had sprouted a lot of the predicted outcomes of a large scale earthquake occurring in Tokyo did not occur. Since they had focused on business districts and major roads, the predicted large scale fires did not occur. Most residential districts, factories, and ware houses had not been affected. The tremors caused by the Entity Walls only extended a couple hundred of meters from their origin. Although the infrastructure such as water and electricity was completely messed up in those areas the local government had managed to restore both of them by re-routing them through surrounding pipes and cables.

Since most schools had been closed prior to the Entity Walls eruption our school, and many others, remained intact and now served as emergency aid centers and shelters.

The death toll was still high, over 20,000 people killed. I'd been watching the news since when I tried to look for Shinozaki on my own I was grabbed by an SDF soldier and dragged to an impromptu shelter. The blood on my shirt was still there and they thought I'd been hurt.

I almost broke out of here, but after seeing another guy get sedated after resisting a checkup I decided it would be better to take the 5 minutes checkup instead of the 6 hour nap time the other guy was hit with.

Most of the panic had ceased. Without the mind altering properties of the Nirvana or Heavenly Host most of the public followed the directions of the police and SDF. Since residential areas were only lightly affected most of the shelters were empty.

I looked around the shelter for her, in case somebody had found and carried her here but she wasn't here either.

"It looks like you're fine Mr. Kishinuma, however we will have to ask you to stay here."

"!... Wha?! Why, I thought you said I was fine!"

"Although we cannot see any external injuries, we would still like to keep you under surveillance. Many people who have been wounded in this event often have internal injuries invisible from the outside. It may have something to do with the bizarre pillars that erupted earlier today, we cannot risk it. I'm going to have to ask you to stay the night."

"There's something I've got to do, can't I just go out and come back later."

The expression of the doctor in front of me saddens.

"Are you looking for someone?"

"Yes, and she's... hurt, bad. I really need to find her."

"I'm sorry but I cannot allow you to leave this camp, your are free to look on the victim's board we have set up and if you have a smart phone I can give you the link to the governments victim's website."

"No, I'm fine." I don't want to see her name on there. If it is, she's either hurt, or worse.

"I understand, I'm going to have to ask you to return to your bed then. A nurse will come by with dinner."

I stand up and walk back from the doctor's to the patient's tent.

This shelter was opened in a nearby park, about a 5 minute walk from, where I lived. I hadn't gotten 10 meters from my apartment before getting dragged here. It's mostly empty. Most of the victims of the Entity Walls died instantaneously. People who were hurt by falling debris or from the ensuing panic composed most of the patients. Even then there weren't many, hence they could afford to keep me here in a bed overnight. They had some to spare.

As I walked back to the tent I spotted a bag of clothes for refugees to wear.

I took a quick glance around, nobody was watching me but there was a guard at the entrance. Just as luck would have it, it was the same guy who grabbed me and dragged me here.

Still, the thing that got me grabbed wasn't my face, or hair but the blood on my clothes, if I could just change that maybe I could sneak out of here.

I grabbed the bag and snuck behind the patient's tent. Rummaging around, I found a pair of green cargo pants that looked like they would fit me. Taking off my school shirt and my pants, checking the pockets to make sure I didn't forget my wallet or the stones, I rolled them up and put on the clean clothes. I left the bag there, they weren't watching me because they thought I was a patient, didn't need to get put under guard for being called a thief.

I jogged over to one of the garbage bins near the porta-potties they had brought here and dropped my dirty clothes in them.

The guy on guard hadn't changed, but I couldn't wait any more. Shit, if he catches me I'll just say I was given a full bill of clean health or maybe just say I was going for a walk. If that doesn't work, I hope all that kit he's wearing slows him down.

Okay, act cool, just breeze on out. Only reason I got busted in here was my shirt. My pants were black so it's a lot harder to see the stains on them.

... ...

I'm out, phew, either the guy didn't get a good look at my face or he's just a really crap guard, didn't even bat an eyelash when I walked right past him.

"HEY YOU, STOP!"

Awwwww. Shit. Well, gotta... run?

He's looking inside the camp, not at me, seems like someone's yelling in there or something. Well might as well get out now. Don't need to get mixed up in whatever mess is going on in there.

...

...

...

I've checked the area near my house, no sign of Shinozaki. I'm running out of options. Did she even come here with me? I was holding her to my chest, did the Ever After stones break or something.

I reach into my left pocket and take them out. Putting them together, they still glow blue. I can't see any cracks or anything in them. Turning around to lift them up to the light, they seem to glow brighter.

I take them apart and the glow fades. Putting them together again I turn around 360 degrees. Only when I point them towards the residential district do they grow brighter.

Is Shinozaki, over there? Come to think of it her house is in that district. Was she transported to her house, like I was to mine? It's worth a shot. I hold the stones in one hand and start jogging.

...

...

...

I'm here, the stones are shining really brightly. I take them apart, and toss them up in the air and catch them with my other hand. I don't know how, but I know she's here. She's still alive.

I start grinning, I can't help myself.

"I've finally, found you."

Walking up, to the doorbell I press it. The ding dong of it rings throughout the house. I wait a bit, nobody is answering. I press it again.

I'm getting impatient, I press it again. The door cracks open.

"Who is it." A man peaks out, he looks tired and annoyed.

"Um, excuse me, I'm looking for Shinozaki, Ayumi. Is she in?"

The guy's face loses all emotion.

"I'm sorry you have the wrong house. Good bye."

The door slams shut.

... Wait what's going on? I look at the name plate next to the door. It says "Shinozaki".

I press the doorbell again, don't screw with me. I know she's in there!

No answer, I begin banging on the door.

"Hey, what was that for! Open up!"

I can't hear anything from inside.

"HEY! Open up! Shinozaki! You in there?! Ope...!"

The door slams into my face, I get knocked flat on my ass.

"Ooof!"

I look up, the man from earlier is standing in the door way.

"GET OUT OF HER YOU DELINQUENT PIECE OF SHIT, THERE ISN'T ANYBODY HERE. NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"

His face is twisted, what does he mean, there isn't anybody in there.

Shinozaki is there! I know it!

He starts to try to kick me.

I roll and dodge around him.

"! ! !, GET BACK YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

First door on the right, she's here.

I slam into it, barely managing to turn the knob in time to open it.

"Shinozaki, Shi..."

She's there, in a wheel chair facing a mirror. I can only see the left side of her but I can tell something isn't right. She's just sitting there, staring.

And on her lap, I see a familiar brown leather bound book.

The Book of Shadows.


	10. Ex-Chapter 1 - Letter & Friends

**Naomi's Room – Real World Naomi**

Dear Seiko,

How are you doing? Are you alright? My left eye is getting better. I don't have to wear an eye patch anymore. The doctor said that most of the scarring is gone. He says I'll be able to see again soon.

Mom is getting better. We had a long talk after we got back from Heavenly Host. I didn't see you when I was there. I probably disappointed you a lot. I couldn't let go. I couldn't accept it. Those few months after we got back, I wanted to see you, so much. But I couldn't, your face had disappeared. I couldn't see you, anywhere.

I don't know what I wanted to say to you. I just wanted to see you, even though you told me to leave you behind. How can I do that? We were friends, no, more than that.

Do you remember that sleep over we had, before the cultural festival? Remember how it was the first time either of us had invited anyone to our house? It was fun, when we slept side by side. It was warm.

Seiko, remember how you said you were able to hear my voice, even if you were asleep? I wonder if you could hear me, before we finished it all.

Sorry, I've just been writing about myself this entire time. That's really selfish of me, right? Your brothers are doing fine. Yuu's stepped up to being the mommy of the other two. I drop by, every day after school. Yesterday, your father asked me if I could look after them until he got back. He seems to have managed to gain a little reprieve from work. Something about a promotion or something, apparently one of his superiors was hurt sometime after we got back. I don't know the details. He's trying to come back home more often, but he doesn't know how to cook very well. I'm helping out as much as I can. You'll be surprised though. Yuu knows quite a lot about the kitchen. I wonder if he was watching you secretly while you were cooking.

Kisaragi Academy is still not open, they're still people using it as a shelter but most of them have gone home or have been moved to hospitals. They say we might be able to go back in a month or so. At the moment we're using a different school until ours frees up. It's quite a long way away but since there are no cars traveling at the moment my eye doesn't stop me from going.

Satoshi is with me every day. He walks me to and from home with Yuka-chan. Sometimes he comes in with me to visit your siblings. They like him a lot but he's too nice so they end up taking advantage of him. Last time, while he was playing with them, he got tied up while re-enacting Gulliver's travels with them that they had read at school. Yuu came in scolded them with Yuka-chan. Yuu is very nice and seems to be quite popular at school. You probably knew that already, but he's getting more and more dependable every day. He kind of reminds me of Satoshi a little bit.

Satoshi's worried about me quite a lot. He asked for his seat to be moved next to me in class so he can help me stand up and so he can guide me around the school. It's surprisingly hard to get around with only one eye. I'm frequently bumping into things. It's not that bad but he keeps on insisting, and I can't really stop him. If he wasn't so cute I would call it annoying, but sometimes, the look he gives me. It's strong, and I don't want to argue with him anymore.

We still haven't kissed or anything, and even though he keeps on getting teased about it Satoshi doesn't say anything. I guess, you're still the only one I've ever kissed. I bet you'd be rubbing it into Satoshi's face if you could wouldn't you?

Seiko, your funeral's been decided. It's 2 weeks from now, and that's why I'm writing this letter.

I wish I could see you again, but I don't really have the right to ask for that. Even though you forgive me, I can't really forgive myself, no matter what. I'm sorry, I know now that's not what you wanted. But don't worry, I won't do anything stupid. So it's alright. Take it easy. I hope we see each other someday, and if we do. Can we have a sleep over again?

I love you.

Too my dearest friend.

Nakashima, Naomi

* * *

I open up my phone, Seiko's picture is there. There isn't a black hole where her face is.

"*(Chuckle) Someday, let's play again. Although I wonder who took this picture again? It's so off center."

There was an empty space on the left hand side of the photo, a space for another row of people there.

"Really, Yui-sensei is almost out of the picture."

I look at the picture and smile. I fold up the letter into an envelope and place it in the top drawer of my desk.

"Naomi~ Satoshi-kun is here to pick you up again."

"Coming, mom!"

The relation ship between mom and me has almost gone back to normal. At first it was a little awkward but we've forgiven each other, and now we're working to accept that forgiveness. She's got a new job at Seiko's father's company. She lost her previous one when I was still mourning Seiko, but after talking to him he got her an interview and she got a new job.

Satoshi comes by most days to pick me up, with Yuka-chan. We go to school together, and next year Yuka-chan will be in high school with us. She still shows no signs of dropping her way of talking though. Really, is the entire Mochida family built from cuteness or something?

WEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOO

A patrol car goes past us.

"I wonder what that's about?" Satoshi says, turning around to look at it as it turns a corner and disappears.

"Oh, they say there was a break in and entry at a house not far from here." It's one of the house wives who lives in the neighborhood. I guess the gossip travels pretty fast in this place.

"Something about some hooligan in a red shirt breaking into a house in the neighborhood. Really, just when things are getting back to normal." She sighs and starts walking on home.

Satoshi is still looking back at where the police car turned the corner.

"Hey Naomi, does anyone we know live in that direction?"

"Huh? Ummm, I don't think so, at least not that I can remember."

"Oh, alright... huh? Crap! We're going to be late, Naomi, I'll carry you on my back!"

"HUH! What are you saying, I'm fine already, plus there's no real traffic going around at the moment, so it's okay." I sputter. Really, sometimes he's a bit too over protective sometimes.

"Well, at least, let me hold your hand so I can guide you." Satoshi grumbles.

"Oh, um, I guess that's fine." I grab Satoshi's hand and he squeezes mine lightly. I feel my cheeks heat up, Satoshi looks a bit red as well.

"Heeeey, if you two don't hurry, I'll leave you behi~nd"

"Ah, Yuka, hold up." "! Yuka-chan, just a moment!"

"Eh, he he~, Morning Yuka-chi~, Oh~ what's this, is big bro cheating on you Yuka-chi~."

"Oh, Satsuki-chan, good morning!"

Yuka-chan's class mate, Satsuki-chan, shows up bouncing along, another bag of potato chips in her hand. I think I can see another one peeking out of her school bag.

"Really, big bro you're too much of a hound dog. If you don't treat Yuka-chi right, I'll eat you!"

"Wh-Wh-Wha-What are you saying all of sudden, really now it's still early in the morning, let's just get to school shall we. We're already late enough as it is."

Grumbling Satoshi starts walking towards our temporary school, not once did he let go of my hand.

"*(Sigh) really, Satoshi, you worry wart. We might be able to sneak in before they take the roll call if we run, let's go!"

"! O-oi, hold on don't suddenly start running like that, w-wait Naomi! You're too fast!"

Seiko, I might miss you, and I'll never forget you. But I won't waste this life you gave me.

I won't hurt myself to try to atone, nor will I let others be hurt by my pain. I'll live this life for you Seiko.

Because you wanted me to be happy.

* * *

A/N: Sometimes I hate the English language, I wanted to say Mom and I's which in Japanese would go Atashi to Ka-san which is Me and my mother, but you can't do it like that so I had to re-word the entire sentence, ugh.

I personally felt that this chapter went along pretty well, it was a good break from always doing Yoshiki and Ayumi all the time, also gave me the opportunity to try and put a more happier tone in the fic as well. Maybe should have listed it as an interlude. Oh well.


	11. This World - Chapter 1 - Puzzle

**Police Car – Real World Yoshiki**

I've never taken a ride in a police car.

I may not be the most upstanding citizen, and I used to be a lot worse. But I never did anything serious enough to warrant a trip in the back seat of a police car.

After I saw Shinozaki the man, I guess it was her father, slammed me into the wall before punching me in the gut. Her mother had called the police before running over to try and restrain him.

Shinozaki didn't even blink, just had that same blank look she had back in the Nirvana.

I don't know how the book got back here with us, I remember leaving it behind. That was it though. I'd recognize its disgusting cover anywhere.

I just sat there at the entrance, while her mother was inside calming her father down.

When the police arrived Shinozaki's mother greeted them. They didn't even bother with cuffs. I guess I must have looked pretty pathetic.

I don't know what I was expecting. I just needed to see her again, to make sure she was safe, that she existed. I guess in a way she was, but once again I wasn't strong enough or quick enough to save her.

The previous times though I managed to find her again or somebody else got to her before me and helped her. Heck, in the end she went into the core of the Nirvana by herself even though she's such a cry baby.

The only thing I did that was worth noting was get her out of the pool when we were grabbing the pillars of the Nirvana. A decent swimming instructor or even a pair of floaters could have replaced me and it would still have been the same outcome.

...

Something's wrong though. Even if Shinozaki was in a catatonic state, her father's reaction to me was far too strange. Something else is going on here, and the presence of that book. ! ! ! Shit, if I remember correctly that book was actually the source of the problem. People like Mist and that scythe wielding girl, Magari, I think she was called were after it and according to them there were entire secret societies going after it.

There was no way Shinozaki could defend herself in that situation, was that why her father had reacted like that? Had they already been attacked by someone going after that book?

Dammit, the more I think about it the more I want to just kick open the door and run back. But doing that won't help anybody. Even if the car is moving quite slowly I don't think it would be a good idea to jump out of the car. Also I wasn't cuffed at the moment but resisting arrest was definitely an offence. I didn't have time to be sent to some re-education center or prison.

I needed to find out what was going on and get rid of that book. If I could do that then at least Shinozaki wouldn't be a target for them anymore.

"So boy, why did you do that?"

"Huh?" The officer in the passenger's seat starts talking to me.

"We heard there was a break in and entry but you don't look like the type to do that."

"What's it matter to you?" Even if I tried to explain it they wouldn't believe me in the first place.

"Not much, just thought it a bit strange. Usually a break in would have more damage around the door frame and you don't usually find the perp sitting there like a dead man." Guess I really did look like shit when they grabbed me.

"I just, wanted to see someone. That's all." At that the guy in the front passenger's seat turns around, he seems to be more suspicious.

"That wouldn't happen to be Shinozaki Ayumi would it?"

"It doesn't matter. I was too late."

The guy takes a good look at my face before turning around.

"So what are you too her then? Boyfriend?"

_"__You were always, looking out for me. ...I knew you know? ... Even if you forget me, I won't forget you. Kishinuma-kun"_

What was I to her? Until now we've just been classmates, just friends. Those were the last words I heard from her. I don't know what they mean. I don't know what I am to her. But I still haven't thanked her. That time in the bathroom when Tsubota had me cornered. That time when she cried for me.

"... I don't know. But, I still need to thank her, I owe her."

"... Hmf, well we'll have to take a statement from you at the station and you'll have to stay for a couple hours while we run a background check. Usually it wouldn't take this long but with all that's happening right now we're a bit understaffed at the moment. If everything checks out we'll let you go home in the evening."

Whatever it was I said seems to have calmed the other guy down. The guy in the driver's seat remained silent the entire time. Either he can't drive and talk at the same time or he was meant to be the bad cop in the good cop bad cop routine. Heh, they must be really tight on space if they're doing interrogations in the squad cars, instead of a room.

...

...

...

We get to the station, I give a half assed statement, saying I was looking for someone and in my desperation I ran in without permission.

At the moment looks like I'll get a warning since I don't have a criminal record.

The jail here is really quiet, pretty empty as well, some drunk who got picked up from last night is waking up and being taken away to give a statement. Right now it's just me.

Something is wrong with Shinozaki's family. The guy in the car didn't get aggressive until he started talking about Shinozaki Ayumi. Did something happen while I was away? I don't think it's secret society related, in the first place they wouldn't be secret if they were known by the police.

Her father's reaction was also really weird. He didn't look like the violent type, and I'd never heard anything bad about him. In fact the only thing I knew about her family was she had an older sister. I didn't see her inside the house, either she was away or had moved out.

Come to think of it, that room Shinozaki was in, didn't look like a normal room. It looked more like the room of a spiritualist or explorer, with the antique globe and other ancient looking items in the room, than a high schooler's room.

Too many things didn't add up, I needed to know more. If I could figure out these things ahead of time I wouldn't be left behind like what happened with Mist.

Click, clack, click clack

The sound of high heels ring throughout the jail, I didn't even know police women were allowed to wear heels.

Click, clack, click.

The sound nears my cell. I'd been lying down on the cot with my eyes closed to sort out my head so I didn't see who it was, and I shouldn't have cared. But something made me get up and face the door.

A black heel attached to what looked like black ribbons crisscrossing pink stockings, came into my view.

"Last time we met, I said I'd kill you, the guy who grabbed my breasts, after I killed Mist, didn't I?"

Gloved hands folded over her barely concealed chest. Mizuki Magari glares into my cell with ice cold eyes.

* * *

**A/N:** For those of you who don't know Mizuki Magari is a character who appeared in "Corpse Party Cemetery0 ~The Creation of Ars Moriendi~" first.

She's affliated with the Grave of Maltuva (hope the spelling is right) and is one of their leaders/heads. It's hinted she's not entirely human.

Her outfit looks cold as hell as well, you can see her in the OP of Corpse Party Blood Drive.


	12. This World - Chapter 2 - Duck

**Jail Cell - Real World Yoshiki**

Mizuki Magari, I saw her when I went to Saenoki Naho's school, when I first tried to enter Heavenly Host after Shinozaki had got Mist to take her, using the Ever After stones. Running out of options, when I saw her using the stones I pretty much grabbed onto her to force her to take me with her. During that I might have accidentally groped her. Last time I saw her we were running for our lives trying to get out of the Nirvana. She didn't try to kill me then so I guessed that was all over. Looks like she was merely postponing it.

Shit, she was also one of the ones trying to get their hands on the Book of Shadows! Something about the grave of something or other. Did she come in to finish me off or does she want to know where Shinozaki is?

"Trapped like a rat in a cage, you really make this too easy for me, almost." The ice cold glare hasn't let up, but I don't have time to be intimidated.

"What are you doing here. Are you going after Shinozaki again?!"

"You really need to worry about yourself before others, even then what can a plebeian like you do? Especially getting stuck in a place like this." She waves her hand gesturing to the cells around her.

"Heh, if that's the case your hands are tied too, you wouldn't start up something in the middle of a poli- WHOA!"

THAT LUNATIC! She just stabbed her scythe right through the bars and it impaled the cot I was resting on, I managed to jump off at the last second. Where the hell does she even carry that damn thing, I didn't see her holding it, probably some sort of occult, black magic, bullshit.

"I wouldn't start up what in where, did you say? Don't judge me on the level of you plebs, I could rip you apart and no one would bat an eyelid." Her voice is disinterested and cold.

"Anyways I already know her name, finding her is as easy as looking it up in a phone book. I just came here because one of my informants said they'd found someone with an interesting aura. I never thought it would be you. Lucky me!" Her tone jumps from bored explanation to girly excitement at the last part. Really I have no idea what's going on in her head.

"So did she have it? The Book of Shadows?"

! Dammit, I knew they were looking for it again. Wait, why is she smiling?

"Hmm, I see so it is here, and I guess she has it at the moment. Guess it'll make a nice souvenir, might as well pick it up on the way home."

"! DON'T YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON HER YOU-" I leap up reaching through the bars, grabbing at her . When...

_A sudden metal clang rings through the cell, moments later I feel weak, my hands slip off of her shoulders. I don't even have the strength to stand anymore but I'm not falling down. My head droops and I can see blood seeping across the floor. With a grunt Magari twist her arm and my view slides to the right. I hit the ground with wet thump. She pulls her blood stained scythe through the bars of the cell and I can hear the sound of heels fading away. I get colder and colder, Shinoza..._

! ! ! I duck, immediately letting go of her and hitting the floor. My head slams against the bars in my hurry but the metal clang that fills the jail is much larger than the sound my head made. I can hear a metallic screech and look up.

The tip of Magari's scythe has embedded itself in the lock. The entire door's bent in the middle with the force of the blow. She had dislodged her scythe from the cot, turned it horizontally and pulled it towards the door like a guillotine in an instant. If I hadn't ducked when I had I'd have been cut in two. From my place on the ground I can't see Magari's face due to the scythe but from the way it's vibrating I can tell she's probably pissed. She's trying to wrench the tip out of the lock, but instead of doing the smart thing and pushing the scythe forward and untangling it from the twisted metal of the door she's twisting and pulling the scythe almost as if she wants to tear the entire door to pieces.

SKRAAK, GROAN, KRRRRKKK

The entire door is buckling, the hinges are a complete mess. The only reason it's still in the door frame is because the impact and subsequent mutilation of it twisted it jamming it in the frame.

GU GU GU GIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The door is giving way. If I stay here I'm dead. They say that in an enclosed area long weapons, such as sword and spears, just get in the way. But seeing the force she can apply with that thing she could probably beat me to death, and here I won't be able to get out of the way. I'll need to burst out the moment the door comes free and run, if I can get to the main building where the police are she might not follow me. Even if she dresses like a lunatic cosplayer she's part of a secret society, I don't think she can just go about swinging that thing in front of a lot of people.

GI GI GI SPRANG

The door is pulled out of the frame leaving large marks gouged out of the cement. I duck out, keeping low before straightening out and running. I take a quick look back. The door's still twisted around the scythe and she's now beating it against the ground to get if off. She's not looking towards me. I turn back and...

_A whistling noise grows louder before it changes into a loud thunk. I'm knocked off my feet and land face first on the ground. My back is on fire, I can't feel anything below my waist. My fingers touch something wet on the ground. I try to breathe but my lungs aren't working. I cough once before..._

I drop to the floor and the whistling sound blasts over me. With a massive clang the remains of the door slam into the wall further bending it out of shape. It almost look like some sort of pipe cleaner art project someone sat on. I need to get up, why the hell is nobody coming?!

I slam into the door separating the jail building from the rest of the station. It's unlocked, seriously this police station is a fucking mess, I can get out of here thanks to that though so guess I shouldn't be complaining.

I pass a guard station on my way, there's nobody there, I guess Magari had them removed in order to interrogate whoever she found here, just so happened to be me. The second security door is also unlocked, I guess nobody expected someone would be able to actually escape her.

I burst out into a hallway and keep running. I need to get out of here, but where? I can't keep on running forever and I definitely can't go back to Shinozaki's house. If anything I need to either lead her away or find someway to get rid of her. Hopefully a bullet would stop her, although at this rate I wouldn't be surprised if it bounced off her like a rubber band.

I run past a couple of doors and burst out into the main lobby. It's pitch black outside, guess I was in there longer than I thought, but there's an officer manning the desk. I run up to him but he doesn't notice me.

"Hey! 'scuse me I need some... oi, you listening?!" This guy is totally ignoring me, he's just sitting there writing some paper work or something.

BANG

The door I just came out of is kicked open. Magari is standing there, Scythe in her right hand and her left hand is over her chest. She's grinning.

"Shit!" I turn around and burst out of the station, either she's got the entire force under some sort of hypnotism or spell or something, or they're all working for her. Regardless I can't stay here, I need to run, get some sort of weapon.

I get out of the police station and start running, hopefully she won't be chasing me if I go into a populated area. I don't know what caused that officer to completely ignore me but it's unlikely that she can do that to an entire area. That would be just too crazy.

I head towards the city center, behind me I hear another bang of doors bursting open.

...

...

...

I've been running for a while and I've lost sight of her, I'm in front of a convenience store. There aren't many but there are people around me. I should be safe, but I still need to get to Shinozaki. If Magari wants the book, that's where she would probably go next if she can't kill me. Dammit, if that was the case maybe I shouldn't have lost her. At least if she was chasing me she wouldn't be going after Shinozaki.

"SHIT" I yell kicking a nearby garbage can. How stupid could I be? With Shinozaki like that she won't be able to even run. At this rate, it doesn't matter I need to get back and...

I feel a hand grab me by the shoulder. I'd stumbled close to an alley way when I kicked the garbage can and a hand was sticking out of it. Inside it was pitch black, unusually black so the hand looked like it wasn't connected to anything. Just growing out of the darkness. The hand has a black sleeve with ribbons lacing up between two halves of black fabric like a ballroom glove without the glove itself, a blue ribbon was in a bow around the wrist.

And it bit into my shoulder like a vice.

"Found you~" A playful voice echoes from the darkness before I'm pulled off my feet and thrown deeper into it.

"GAAAHH" I land on the cement, I didn't have time to react properly so I landed pretty hard. My body is numb, I hit the back of my head.

"Soooo~ do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?" Mizuki is looking down on me, smiling brightly. Scythe balancing on her shoulder. Her left hand is still covering her chest.

"Wha-What are you talking about?" I sputter. I still can't move properly.

"Don't joke with me." Magari's face instantly turns into a frown. "A normal person shouldn't be able to react like that. You've dodged me twice when I had full on intent to kill you."

What is she talking about? I don't get it, I only dodged because... why? I just suddenly ducked or dropped down, almost as if somebody had shouted at me to.

"So I guess you've got nothing else to offer for tonight? *(Sigh) What a let down, it almost felt as if I was against Saenoki Naho again. Just when I thought I'd found someone worth killing again." I don't understand what's going on but I think I can get up, she sounds disappointed but I couldn't care any less at the moment. What matters is I need to distract her, there's no way I can beat her in a straight up fight.

"*(Sigh) Well I guess you do have potential, being a survivor of Heavenly Host twice over now. And you somehow managed to get back even though the only portal was blocked off from you. I guess I can leave you to ripen a bit more." She starts walking away.

"Hey! Where are you going, I'm still... urk!" I didn't see it, she was too fast. She's got me by the throat and is lifting me up in the air with her right hand, I don't see the scythe anywhere.

"Don't talk, it's too noisy. I'm already letting you off for groping me, and again for embarrassing me like this. I haven't killed anyone for a couple of weeks now, and I'm reaaally ticked off so don't push me." She give my throat another squeeze then drops me on the ground.

"*(Cough, cough) Dammit, wait!" She was turning around to walk back out of the alley, she stops and I can feel the murder in her eyes as she looks back.

"Don't go near Shinozaki, don't you fucking dare!" I shout, my throat is killing me but I can't help it.

She looks back quizzical this time. "Why would I have to go after her, she's not my problem anymore."

"You guys, the Grave of something or other. You guys still want that stupid book. Even after all this." I'm back on my feet. I feel like I'm going to collapse and faint any moment, but that's one more moment she's not going after Shinozaki.

She looks annoyed then looks as if she's realized something. "Oh those guys? I quit, it's not much fun working for them and I still have my promise to Niwa Kuon. Plus, honestly, if they can't trust me to do my job, and do all sorts of random crap behind my back, they can't expect me to keep doing their work for them."

What? She's no longer working for them, but she said she was one of their leaders didn't she?

"Then, then why do you want the Book of Shadows?"

"Didn't I say? I said it would make a nice souvenir, even with its contents sealed it's still an ancient black magic artifact. And it would probably piss the Founder off if the book was in my hands."

"Then, why did you try to kill me." At this the scythe appears in her right hand again, this time she slowly brings it up under my chin, forcing it upwards.

"Really, I wonder what mouth has the right to ask me that? You groped me before and now you've gone and tore my outfit." I suddenly realize that the cloth that covers her right breast is no longer attached to the ribbon she has around her neck, the black cloth is being held up by her left arm. I must have torn it by accident when I grabbed her in the jail cell.

"You didn't see anything did you~" Her voice takes a sing song tone but it's using nothing but minor notes.

"No, I didn't." I really didn't I was too busy trying to not die to bother.

"Good, next time, fun or not I'm bisecting you." She threatens me with a smile.

The scythe blade falls away and disappears along with the rest of it. She again starts walking out of the alley.

"Hold on, one more thing." She stop, and puts her right hand on her waist.

"Ever head the idiom `Even the buddah face only lasts 3 times`?" She's not looking at me but I can tell she's pissed.

"If you're not after Shinozaki, does anyone else know where she is, or that she has the Book of Shadows?"

She turns around, in the darkness the only thing I see are her ice blue eyes.

"Nope, I haven't told any of the others where it is, wouldn't do much if one of the others tried to steal my prize would it? And now that I'm out of their stupid cult I'm not obligated to tell them anything."

She smiles though, and I get chills down my spine.

"It would be interesting to see what you would do if I did let the cat out of the bag. *(chuckle)"

"! Don't you fucking dare!" My hands ball up into fists, I don't care if I can't win. If she tells somebody and they come after Shinozaki...

"Ha ha ha, that's a nice face you have there, but too bad I don't think you can do that just yet. I'll let you ripen a bit more before coming back, make sure you're nice and juicy when I do."

"Wha-"

"Moe~ Moe~ Magical Pyu~" She hops from one foot to the other clutching both hands to her chest before stretching out her right arm as if going to hug someone.

"Be Happy with Moe Moe power! !" She strikes a pose like some magical girl from one of the shows Miki used to watch. It looks slightly off though with her left hand stuck to her chest like that. My head starts hurting, I don't think it's because of the damage I took today.

"Well, then I'll be leaving, see you again." She turns around and leaves the alley way turning a corner and disappears out of sight.

...

...

...

I get back home late. I passed by Shinozaki's house but things looked quiet. The light in the living room was on but I couldn't hear much from inside. I came home and pretty much collapsed. Today had way too many things going on. I didn't understand half of what that Magari girl said but at least she wouldn't be telling anyone about Shinozaki anytime soon for her own reasons. That was good, I still needed to figure out what was wrong with her family. I didn't need to have to deal with secret societies filled with crazies like Magari or Mist. But, I was too tired, too beaten up, I just slowly drifted off to sleep.

_I'm holding the door to the science lab shut, Shinozaki's got Yuka on her back.  
_

_"Hurry up and run!"_

_"But-"_

_"Who do you think I came back here for?!"_

_Shinozaki looks surprised._

_"I..."_

_THUNK_

_"Ugh!" as the sound of wood splintering hits my ear I feel a burning sensation in my gut. It hurts I want to grab it, but if I do that the thing behind me will get out. I grab onto to the door harder, wood splinters pierce my fingers and under my nails. Shinozaki screams._

_A wet explosions sounds from my stomach, I take a look down. Bits of intestine covered in blood are sliding out of me, this time I can't hold onto the door. I grab my stomach._

_"Hurry... Hurry, GO!"_

_I sharp pain flashes from the back of my skull. Then I black out._

"GAH" I wake up, panting, sweating. I'm in my room, not Heavenly Host. I lift up my shirt. My stomach is still intact. I feel sick. I run over to the bathroom and wretch into it. I haven't eaten anything recently so not much comes up.

What was that?

* * *

**A/N: **Phew, I had to make an emergency update to correct an error I found while re-reading my own fic to check for consistency. Yoshiki has a sister called "MIKI" not "MAYU" which was what I had confused it as. I can't find much info on her so if anyone can help send me a PM or something and I can work her in, I'm going to need a source as well so I can take a look at the RAW of it and get an idea how she would talk in Japanese. Just give me the title or chapter she appears in and I can work from there.

Well, on my decision to give Yoshiki this "Death Precognition" (I was divided on whether to introduce it here or later on but thought, eh I need some way to keep him relevant in terms of power level compared to the things he's going to be going up against, without sending him off to go train off in the mountains somewhere). It wasn't in the first iteration in my head, but then again Yoshiki wasn't going to run into Magari at that time because I hadn't done enough research on her. Also, I went over my notes and decided adding a little action wasn't too bad so here it is, plus Yoshiki was complaining about why he was so weak and it sort of was a major internal conundrum in that he wants to protect Ayumi but just doesn't have the ability to. Do not worry I will not make him OP and we will still see the shit getting kicked out of him a lot. This is more so he can survive the events, I have an idea for, further on in the story.

The entire scene with Magari was originally planned to occur later on in the story but then this chapter would have been kind of boring tbh. It was literally going to be Yoshiki ends up in jail, internal monologue, musings, and then either a trip back to Shinozaki's home, or to the library. That's still going to happen and also there will be no Magari x Yoshiki pairings nor will it end up with a harem situation. I think that's sort of obvious but decided to say it anyways.

Now, here you guys have an option, I can either write another snippet from Ayumi's point of view, or I can continue on from Yoshiki's story, or I can try and write something from Satoshi's point of view. Just hop on over to my forum, the link should be posted on my profile for ease of access. Click on requests and post on topic "Requests for Chapter 13". I've already actually kind of done this tbh though as I received a PM from someone who hadn't read my fic because they didn't want spoilers but really wanted a Satoshi x Naomi moment, not in this fic but in the game Blood Drive. That gave me the idea for the contents of Chapter 10 which is one of my more favorite chapters to write because of the foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and also heart warming scenes I could write.

In truth all 3 options will be done eventually some time during the fic. It's just a matter of which one do you want to see next. Also to give an idea which ones I would prefer doing. They would go 1) continuing Yoshiki's story (since it's the least amount of work, he'll set out trying to find out what happened to Ayumi and find a few things about himself along the way) 2) Ayumi's perspective (I like writing from her point of view, but it will probably be short, i.e. 700 wordsish short, but might get longer when I start writing it. It will probably end up like Chapter 10 with two parts, one from Ayumi's perspective and the other in the 3rd person foreshadowing certain events), 3) Satoshi's point of view (Will be the hardest of them all perhaps, he's too much of a generic MC and it's easier to write about him than from his point of view. It will mostly about what Satoshi and Co. have experienced after returning from the events of Blood Drive and will be closer to a recap of the events of Blood Drive through Satoshi's eyes)


	13. This World - Chapter 3 - Duty

**Shinozaki Ayumi - Shinozaki Ayumi Shinozaki Ayumi**

I wake up.

It's dark, only the dirty incandescent bulb swaying from the stone ceiling illuminates the room.

I can hear the grinding of the wooden gears, and creak of tightening ropes.

I know the next sound will be the pops my joints make when they are pulled from their sockets.

The air is cold, the light is cold, the wooden table I'm being stretched on is cold. The ropes around my wrists and ankles are hot.

POP

The grinding stops and the dull thump, as a wedge is placed, and then jammed into the gears, rings on schedule.

I know what's going to happen. I've already been through this event before.

First comes the Sprinkler, it looks like a baby's rattle made of metal. The bulb on the top has holes in it. From those holes molten lead drips. A grey hand slowly moves backwards and forwards over my chest and stomach. Drops of it sizzle and burn as steam snakes its way from my flesh.

After the lead has hardened they will rip them off me, peeling it like a sunburn. A red patchwork of torn and burnt skin is created on my body.

After this they will cut open my stomach, and draw out my intestines.

A human on average has 7.5 meters of intestine, large and small combined. I'm not fully grown, nor am I that tall so I think that mine are shorter than that. I don't know if that's lucky or not.

They cut into the middle of my stomach with a rusty saw toothed knife. It isn't really cutting, but shaving away skin and muscle. Gloved hands hold my chest and waist down. I don't have the strength to move. It's to hold my body in place while the saw opens me up.

It sounds like drawing a table knife over a tough rare steak. It changes though, once it breaks through my abdominal muscles. From there it sounds like someone's splashing about in a kiddie pool.

The change in the sound stops the saw, and it retreats out of my line of sight. From here the tongs, in the shape of a crocodile's mouth, enter my stomach with a wet sucking sound, and searches for an easy piece of gut to grab onto. It sloshes around inside me with the occasional deep grinding sound it makes as it scrapes bone.

When it finally grabs onto something, it pauses before I see the handles widen and a hear a crunching sound from inside me. Then it begins retreating, and I see a pink tube, or a red lump, sometimes a brown tube being pulled out of me.

Once it's out of me the tongs switch to hands, and they drag more of me out. It gets carried to a wheel with holes in it, and they nail me to it with a wooden peg.

The wheel begins turning and I am dragged apart. My insides don't smell very good. They smell sour, or bitter. Nobody says anything though. Only the process itself makes any sound. The creaking of the wheel like some sort of vinyl record the lonely music to this performance.

The things around me all wear diamond shaped, bronze masks with holes for eyes. It covers their face, only from behind can I see their heads. Bald, grey skinned, and wrapped with 3 red belts tied to a metal ring on the back of the head. The only time I ever heard them make a noise, besides the heavy thump of their footsteps, is to grunt when swinging the axes they sometimes carry.

They wear worn red cloaks that enshroud their gargantuan bodies. Baggy black trousers clothe their lower half and black boots engulf their feet.

They smell of smoke, ash, and blood. Two of them wind the wheel, one on each side holding onto the crank that's attached to it. The others hold me down with grey meaty hands. Black pits on their mask peer at me or around me.

The wheel snags, but it doesn't stop. Even if there's nothing left in my stomach, it keeps pulling. I can feel my chest being pulled towards the wheel. They want to pull me out until my throat. I can feel the tension increasing in the tube that used to be in me.

It snaps with a wet splash. Like a bursting water balloon. There's a moment of silence, no turning of the wheel, just the quiet drops of my blood and contents of my stomach dripping onto the table and from the wheel onto the floor. Then the ones holding my body to the table let go, all at once. They stand back.

Then they raise their arms and smash me.

They beat every part of me they can reach. For a few moments I can hear the wet thumps and snaps of my body breaking under their fists. Then it stops.

I wake up.

This time my hands are tied behind my back. The rope bites into my arms and every movement constricts it as if it was a snake crushing my limbs like it would a rat's spine. I'm on my knees, and I stare into the pitch black eyes of Sachi. Sachiko's older sister. She was never born, a "vanishing twin". Devoured in the womb until all that remained of her were a few baby teeth impaled in Sachiko's chest.

"Why... snap... early..."

Broken words croak from her. Her black dress clad form hunched over, staring into me. Whiteless eyes only glint in the dim light of the swinging light bulb in this rock walled room. Nailess jagged fingers reach up and grab my naked shoulders.

"Un... fair... only... Sachiko..." her face nears mine.

"I... want... born... too..." her nose touches mine. My view is filled with black insect like eyes.

"You... nice... family... nice... to... Sachiko... nice... to... me" Her lipless mouth nuzzles mine, almost as if a child wanting kisses from a mother. Jagged mouth rubs, and prods my lips. She pulls back after a moment

"Help... body... want" Her last word snaps her mouth open. It's not so much a mouth as a bear trap. Its purpose isn't to chew food. It's to mutilate, to tear, to crush.

Her mouth clamps over the bottom part of my face. It squeezes and I can here the spurt of blood as well as the crack of teeth being broken and groan of bone bending under the pressure.

I can't see her eyes, only the jumping hair on the left side of her head and the pointed ear fill my vision. Beyond that only the brown dirt walls of the room I'm in disappear into darkness.

A crunch and Sachi pulls back. Everything under her nose is red. Bits of skin and meat trail from me to her and tear as she shakes her head side to side like a dog.

"Help... Sachi... get... body" her voice murmurs again hands this time reach up to the sides of what remains of my face. She pulls me towards her then aims her head to where my mouth was.

I hear a wet thump and I can feel the hair of on her head rubbing on the top of my mouth. She had bitten off my entire jaw, and was now pushing her head into the hole that was left. Trying to force herself down my throat. I gurgle and splutter as hair and blood stuff up my lungs. Some of the blood leaks out my nose. Sachi's fingers dig in behind my ears. Her thumbs have cut the cartilage in two and start to dig into the holes as she tries to grab my head harder.

Pop, and I can't hear anything anymore. Sachi gives up, her brow is twisted, wrinkled, black eyes are narrowed into tiny black rhombuses.

Her mouth moves but I can't hear her. The two hands impaled in my skull squeeze together.

I wake up.

I'm strapped down onto the table again, but I don't hear the winding of gears nor the tensing of rope.

The dull light bulb continues to swing, creaking, counting off meaningless seconds.

I notice a pressure on my stomach and look down. Sachi is sitting on my stomach.

"Sachi... want... body..." She repeats, hoarse voice creaking from her. She grabs my breasts with each hand and a trickle of blood starts seeping out from each finger tip.

"Help... Sachi... give... body" She presses her head against my midriff. It squeezes so hard I can't breathe. Her fingers dig in further to support her. I feel my ribs crack a little. I can taste blood.

"Only... Sachiko... no... fair" Sachi's voice doesn't drown out the sound of more ribs cracking, and the tearing sound of meat. I can feel her fingers on my rib cage now.

A snap and Sachi falls off of me. Before she disappears I see white bone in her right hand. She toppled over to the left. Her support coming free causing her to lose her balance. I still can't breathe, my rib cage doesn't support my lungs anymore.

One of the things reappears, he's carrying his ax this time. The dull head has lost its edge ages ago on the necks and bones of the victims it claimed before entering this place. It doesn't cut off as much as crush off its target. It rises blocking out the swinging light bulb. I hear a grunt.

I wake up.

I'm tied to a cross this time. Sachi stands below me holding a torch. Behind her many of the things are there. All are looking up at me. Sachi's grin is accentuated by the wrinkles behind her eyes.

"Sachi... want... body... tell... how... get... body?" She walks up and sticks the torch into the oil soaked rags and wood beneath me.

I can feel the heat, not just from my feet, but with my whole body. My nose burns as does my throat and my eyes water. My feet start to swell before the water filled blisters burst, popping from the heat. The boiling body fluids further cook my flesh. I choke as the heat enters my lungs, my throat swells up and I can't breathe. More of my body sizzles and cooks. I don't know how much of my body is left, my eyes water and then stop working. I can feel mucus coming up my throat and my nose trying to protect me but simply strangle me before boiling and cooking my face and mouth. I grow thirstier and thirstier and then.

I wake up.

"Sachiko... same" Sachi's voice rasps.

I'm on the ground, my arms and legs are tied up. I can't move, Sachi has a pair of scissors in her hand. They open and close. Snip, snip. Lifeless black eyes, gazed into mine. She smiles, face twisting, eyes narrowing.

"Sachiko...same" Her left hand grabs me by the hair and pulls me up towards her. The scissors open and close. Snip, snip. She grabs the scissors above the handle, like a dagger.

And plunges it into my left eye.

When I felt this scene before, all I could do was scream "No!" and beg and cry. When Sachiko carved out my eye, I wished for death and unconsciousness but at the same time I begged her not to kill me. I even used Kishinuma-kun's shirt to blow my nose and wipe my tears.

Now, I don't scream now. A scream is a form of communication. A universal language that begs for help or rejection of a situation. I don't want to be saved, I don't want to avoid this. I don't want to drag anyone into my sins, I don't want anyone to follow me into this hell.

I've already consumed the Nirvana. This torture is merely its continuation. I'm fine. I wanted to protect my friends. I wanted them to be happy. I am the master of the Book of Shadows. Keeping Sachi here means she can't go after Yuka like she did last time. She still wants to be born, and she is of my blood, my responsibility.

I wanted every one of my friends to be happy, I wanted the suffering caused by my bloodline to end.

"Sachiko... same... say... aaah" She's finished digging out my left eye. She grabs me by the jaw and let's my head flop back exposing my tongue.

In the end somebody had to do it.

Snip, snip, squish, squish, spurt, squish, riiiiiiiiiip.

My head falls back to the floor. I can't breathe I can't taste anything.

I'm fine everyone, please be happy. I'll protect you all. I am the master of the Book of Shadows.

* * *

**Hinoe's Room - Real World**

"I'm fine everyone, please be happy. I'll protect you all. I am the master of the Book of Shadows."

Ayumi's mumbling continues unheard and unanswered, facing the mirror in Hinoe's room. In it the reflection of Sachi gazes back.

The book of Shadows lies on her lap. Her hands folded over it.

The glowing orbs of its eyes shift from side to side and its tongue lazily tastes the air.

"Sweet Dreams, my master."

The books toothy grin seems to grow wider.

A doorbell chimes.

The book no longer has glowing orbs for eyes nor a tongue. The mirror only shows Shinozaki Ayumi's vacant expression.

Another ding dong echos, through the house, nobody answers.

A third and footsteps echo from beyond the door growing louder then fainter as they pass by.

The front door creaks open a little bit.

"Who is it?"

"Um, excuse me, I'm looking for Shinozaki, Ayumi. Is she in?"

The lifeless books grin seems to twitch, and then its covers vibrate slightly. As if it had heard the world's funniest joke and was struggling to hold back howls of manic laughter.

From Shinozaki's remaining eye a tear beads, and falls down her cheek.


	14. This World - Chapter 4 - Search

**Yoshiki's Room - Real World Yoshiki**

The kettle whistles on the gas stove. The sound of feet cross the small room to the kitchen. A click and the low rumble of hot flames stops. The whistling dies down, a peeling sound and the sound of hot water being poured, rings from the kitchen. The clank of metal against metal, and then the beep of a kitchen timer being set.

Yoshiki comes back into his room and sets his instant noodles in front of him with one hand, on the small coffee table. A pair of disposable chopsticks still in their paper sleeve is on top of it. Leaning back on the side of his bed he lets out a sigh.

(What in the world do I today?)

He wanted to figure out what in the world was wrong with Shinozaki's family, but trying to go ask them was out of the question. Either the police would be called the moment they saw him or her father would attack him again. For an old man he was quite fit, his stomach was slightly bruised where he'd been punched.

The person who would probably know if Shinozaki had been attacked by some secret society would be Mizuki Magari, but he had no way to find her, and even then she was dangerous, just thinking about her gave Yoshiki a chill down his spine.

(No, I can't ask her. I need someone who can give me information, or at least point me in the right direction... Information?...Of course! Niwa Aiko!)

Niwa Aiko, the spiritual information broker who sold Saenoki Naho the information about Heavenly Host elementary school. She had approached Shinozaki Ayumi and Kishinuma Yoshiki, as survivors of Heavenly Host, with a business offer. She would assist them in reviving their friends, who had died in Heavenly Host, and they would remove any threats or traps still remaining, after Shinozaki Sachiko's ghost had been released. Her objective was to use Heavenly Host as proof that the spiritual world was real, and to become a tour guide of it charging exorbitant fees.

She had notified Satoshi, Yohiski, and Naomi that Ayumi had gone to the abandoned apartment of Shinozaki Makina alone, and there she had taken the red box that Ayumi had found as payment for helping her friends find her. Inside were the Ever After stones. Many of them had apparently been contained within it, but only 2 pairs remained intact among the multiple fragments.

Using them as a conduit, she had taken a photograph via projected thermography of Heavenly Host's insides as proof. In the picture was the ghost of Yuki holding an ax in her right hand, a thick book in her left.

Her irresponsibility and thoughtlessness in her handling of Heavenly Host cost her, her best friends, Saenoki Naho, Ooue Sayaka, Haruyuki Inumaru, and her sister Niwa Kuon.

The last Yoshiki saw of her was when they were running out of Heavenly Host. If Satoshi and the others had gotten out, she should have too.

(Satoshi, I wonder if he's okay.)

He hadn't thought of Satoshi in a while. He'd been too caught up in trying to find Shinozaki.

(I'll stop by his house to see if everything's okay. After that I'll wait in front of Paulownia Academy. I have no idea where she lives and I don't have her phone number either.)

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP

The kitchen timer reads 0:00:00. Pulling the chopsticks out of their sleaves, Yoshiki mutters a quick "itadakimasu" before quickly slurping up the contents. He had an objective, and wanted to get to it quickly.

...

...

...

Passing by the Mochida household everything looked quiet. Except for the sudden appearance of a hot spring.

" `Mochida's Hot spring`? I don't remember this being here before... Well, he doesn't seem to be home."

Sighing, Yoshiki turned around and started walking to the train station.

...

...

...

**Paulownia Academy – Real World Yoshiki**

Unlike Kisaragi Paulownia Academy hadn't been closed. First period had already started however and with only casual clothes on Yoshiki couldn't get in without being noticed.

Being here was a risk though, Magari also went to this school. Running into her in broad daylight was hopefully safe enough, but if she managed to make everyone in the area ignore him... Yoshiki shakes his head. He doesn't have a choice. Even if it is Magari he needs to know what's going on with Shinozaki. He doesn't want to be the last one to find out everything. He's had enough of that with Heavenly Host.

That said he can't just stand here in front of the school. If the police don't come to take him away he'll be dragged inside by a guidance counsellor and he can't afford to miss Aiko. Looking around he spots a convenience store opposite the school. Scratching his head and sighing he shoves his hands into his pockets and enters.

...

...

...

It's been a couple hours. Yoshiki has been standing in the magazine aisle next to the window. He had been keeping an eye on the school but it doesn't seem students leave the campus for lunch. He hadn't expected Aiko to leave the campus during that time but was hoping that he could sneak in either hiding among the students or pretending to be a part time worker delivering sandwiches or something. Neither of the two opportunities arrived so the only option left was to hope he could catch her when she left the school. Looking back down at the magazine he was pretending to read he skimmed a few headlines.

"Source of mysterious pillars unknown, government still refuse comment."

"Alien attack?! Interview with world renowned astronomer!"

"Attack by Molemen?! The coming invasion of the underground civilization!"

None of the headlines seem to even come close. Speculation was going wild due to the sudden appearance and disappearance of the Entity Walls. They hadn't appeared only in Japan. They had appeared the most in Tokyo, the point closest to where the Nirvana had broken into our world, but they didn't stop just there. Locations with high population densities had seen one or two erupt. This had caused large amounts of damage in areas with no earthquake policies. London had taken far more damage than Tokyo in that sense due to most of their infrastructure not being earthquake proof, they still hadn't recovered public transport and places still lacked water and electricity. The Gaza strip had erupted into full blown war. Both sides claimed divine intervention from the presence of the Entity walls and were using it to fuel their propaganda. Similar stories could be heard in multiple places in the Middle East. The number of terror attacks had increased in most parts of the globe fuelled by religious zealotry. America had declared martial law in New York. In total the world was a mess.

Strangely there was almost no mention of secret societies such as the Grave of Maltuva or the Wiccan Institue.

Glancing up again Yoshiki sees nothing but the empty school gates. He puts down the magazine he's reading and picks up another one.

"CEO of rapidly growing PL LLC Niwa Kuon Dissappears!"

Niwa Kuon, Niwa Aiko's older sister and assistant homeroom teacher Yoshiki, Satoshi, Naomi, and Ayumi as well as the CEO of PL LLC. She had taken the place of Shishido Yui, also teaching English, and was a constant reminder of the people lost in Heavenly Host. However, she had accompanied Satoshi and Naomi to Heavenly Host. Using her resources as the CEO of PL she had managed to create a pair of synthetic Ever After stones from the fragments inside the box, allowing them to enter the Heavenly Host. In the end she used her spiritual power to seal the last pillar "The Sephirot of Knowledge" that sealed the Nirvana, separating it from the real world. Thus sacrificing herself she bought Ayumi enough time to find the core of the Nirvana and seal it within the Book of Shadows.

(I wonder what's going to happen to it now that Kuon-sensei is gone)

While the Nirvana was breaking through to the real world she had her company selling spiritual protection items such as charms or power crystals at low prices in order to protect as many people as she could. PL LLC had made a large profit from this. However, the reason for LLC's quick growth was mostly Kuon's unbelievable talent. Her elementary school piece she had written when she was 11 had apparently become a world best seller. From there she had succeeded in all routes of academia and business.

(That reminds me, I'm probably fired from my old job by now. I'll need to find a new one)

Setting down the magazine, Yoshiki picks up one of the job offer flyers. Still checking the school gates from time to time he looks through them while waiting for school to finish.

...

...

...

(Finally, looks like schools out, who knew I'd get this tired just from waiting.)

With the sun beginning to set students began to leave the school.

(Niwa usually wears that weird purple Yukata so she should be easy to find.)

Picking up a random magazine Yoshiki keeps on looking for Aiko while pretending to read.

(Come on, hurry up!)

Most of the students seem to have left, but no sign of Aiko.

(Dammit, did she not come in to school today?)

Setting down the magazine Yoshiki steps out of the store. He starts walking towards the school.

I can't just go back empty handed, at this rate I'll just grab someone and ask where she lives.

Stepping inside he sees a girl with long black hair, interrupted with a lock of white on the side, in an ordinary Paulownia Academy uniform. She's sitting on one of the red seats that surround a tree, as if to take a short break before going home.

Grabbing her shoulder Yoshiki asks, "Hey, I'm looking for Niwa Aiko, do you know her?"

She stiffens before turning.

"Yes, I know her." Niwa Aiko's face answers.

* * *

"Are you really, Niwa?" I take a step back. She's wearing the normal Paulownia Academy uniform. The purple Yukata she wore instead of a school jacket is gone along with the wooden clogs she wore instead of shoes.

"I would believe I would know whether or not I was myself." Violet eyes narrow. "Now, who are you, and why are you looking for me?"

She doesn't remember me? After all the stuff she put us through? I can feel my fists clenching.

Whump!

Huh?!

"Excuse us Vice President we were delayed by a labor crew checking the stability of the roads, what shall we do with this?"

I was grabbed from behind by a big guy in a black suit and sunglasses. Looks like something out of Men in Black. He's got my arms locked behind me and I can't break free!

"Let... go! Dammit!" I struggle, the guy squeezes my arms but I still try to break free. The guy's brow furrows.

"Take him with us, he was looking for me and he has an interesting aura around him. He might be useful." Niwa nonchalantly states.

"Understood."

"Oi, wait, dammit. Lemme go!" I'm dragged backwards, Niwa follows a few paces behind. I hear a car door opening and I'm dragged into the back seat of a car. It's big, probably a limousine.

"Stop struggling, we will not release you until the Vice President gives us the word." A feel something wrap around my wrists and then the sound of ticking plastic. I'm then thrown into the back right seat. The guy sits down opposite me.

Niwa Aiko looks in before smiling. "I suppose you got more than you expected? I guess you don't know much about me after all." She steps in and takes the seat furthest from me.

"You asked me two questions and I answered both, now I have asked you two but you still haven't answered. As a business transaction this isn't the worse I've seen, but I make it a habit to take whatever I think I'm owed, if I'm not paid." She's got that annoying smile on her face again, like the one she wore when she tried to convince me and Shinozaki to go back to Heavenly Host.

"Dammit, are you crazy. This is a kidnapping!"

"Oh, is there someone who would report you missing, a fellow conspirator perhaps?" A look of false surprise paints her face before reforming the smile. "From the look on your face, I guess not. In that case with no one to report it it doesn't matter whether this is a kidnapping, or not."

This person is nuts! I didn't think she was right in the head when she wanted to collect all those spiritual items from Heavenly Host, as well as make it a tourist spot. But this is just insane!

"Since we have time before we arrive, I'll ask again. Who are you, and why are you looking for me?" The smile is gone this time, good it was annoying me.

"I'm Kishinuma Yoshiki, we've met before, in Heavenly Host." Her eyes widen before narrowing. She looks away, folding her arms in front of her.

"So, that explains your aura." She mutters to herself. Mist and Magari said something similar about us. The 5 who escaped from Heavenly Host, apparently we had a different aura to other people. Something about having lived through the same time over and over again, ahhh, I can't remember.

She turns to the guy. I guess he's her bodyguard. "Release him, he's not one of their pawns."

"Understood." He reaches behind me and I hear a snap. My wrists come free and he retreats holding a plastic cuff.

"So you've answered one of my questions." Niwa continues, while I rub my wrists. "I still haven't heard why you wanted to see me though."

"I wanted some information, that's all. You were the only information broker I knew that deals with this sort of stuff." Her brow furrows and she looks out the window. Her arms are still folded over her chest.

"Now I need some info, tell me every..."

"How many family members do you have?"

"Huh?!"

"I asked, `How many family members do you have?` "

"Hold on a second, I answered 2 of your questions now it's my turn to ask."

"What are you saying? You didn't answer those questions immediately last time. I had to get you in my car in order for you to answer them. This is interest. In-ter-est,"

"Wha-. That's just stupid."

"You called me an information broker, information is what I deal with. You should be thankful I'm only charging questions, although if you would like I'm willing to accept payment in a different medium." At this a wide smirk appears on her face. Shit, I guess she still ticks me off.

"If I answer will you answer my questions?"

"It wouldn't hurt. Of course I would have to charge you separately for that." I sigh, I'm stuck in this car anyways and this is my first lead.

"I only have a little sister. I haven't talked or seen my parents in a long time."

"Oh, really?" She's looking out the window again. The sun's rays cast half her body in shadow and the other half in its orange glow.

"Is she from Heavenly Host too?"

"No, there's no way I'd let her go there!"

"I see. I hope you get to see her again." What is she...?

The car stops.

"Vice President, we have arrived."

The door closest to Niwa is opened from outside and another guy in a suit and sunglasses helps her out.

"Get out." The guy sitting opposite to me gestures with his head. I get out of the limousine and he follows behind me.

We're in front of an office building. The entrance is elevated above the street, large stairs lead up to it. Above the entrance I see the letters P L Limited Liability Company.

"Come in, it's getting cold." I hear her say without looking back.

I don't understand what's going on or whether I can trust her, I have half a mind to just turn around and run. She was creepy before, now she gives off the same feeling as Magari. I thought she still had a human heart when she begged Mist not to kill her sister, looks like her appearance isn't the only thing that changed.

I grit my teeth, there's a guy behind me but at this time of the day there's still a few people around. I could kick up a scene and might be able to get out or at least get help.

_"I'm sorry... you don't have to worry anymore."_

Shinozaki went back to Heavenly Host with Mist. She didn't know what sort of state it was in or how to find the Book of Shadows once she got there. She hadn't even learned how to swim. But she went back. Just to get back our friends.

The building in front of me isn't Heavenly Host. The things I'm dealing with aren't even spirits or ghosts. If I run away now, then why didn't I run away the moment she was possessed back by the third floor bathrooms in Heavenly Host?

I look down and sigh. I look back up. Niwa Aiko stares down at me from the top of the stair by the entrance.

" `No matter what happens`, was it..."

I walk forward and start climbing.


	15. This World - Chapter 5 - Deal

**Niwa Aiko's office – PL LLC Yoshiki**

PL LLC was tall. It stood over all the other buildings in the area, like a huge oak tree in the middle of a forest of maples. The straight edges of the black glass of the building made it look like a massive grave stone jutting out of the earth.

The lobby of PL was big. An obsidian reception desk welcomed us, the receptionist smiling and bowing towards Niwa. She smiled and nodded. Beyond that was a large open area with seats and coffee tables. Onyx pillars surrounded them, it looked like the lobby of a hotel than an office building. There even seemed to be a restaurant off to the side. I could see a few business men sitting down talking to each other while enjoying coffee or tea.

Walking past it we reached 3 elevators at the back of the building. Niwa pushed the call button and waited without turning around. I just kept looking around, this place gave me the creeps.

Ding!

The one in the middle arrived. The elevator also looked like something out of a hotel. Bronze walls with a checkered pattern of rough and smooth metal surrounded us. Niwa's bodyguards stood on either side of me. I leaned against the back wall of the elevator.

"So, why did you bring me here?" The elevator's humming is the only other sound.

"Why else?" The elevator dings, the number 39 is highlighted, 1 below the top floor. "To do business of course."

The doors open up to a corridor, the wall opposite the elevators has a door with a keypad next to it in it. The guy on my left leaves his position to enter the code.

The doors open silently and Niwa walks in, I tag along. The two guards stop at the door frame and turn around. They don't follow us in. Inside a coffee table in between two sofas lies to our left, shelves of files and records adorn either wall. At the far end there is a desk with a computer and a tray, a quarter filled with what look like forms of some kind, on it.

"So" exhales Niwa as she sits down at her desk. "You say you've met me before, in Heavenly Host no less. However, I have no memory of you at all."

"Well, I haven't forgotten about you, although you've changed quite a lot." I grumble folding my arms.

"It would be stranger to think things would remain the same, especially after these recent events."

"... I guess, so why are you Vice President of this place all of a sudden. I thought you dealt in paranormal stuff."

"I still do, in fact I've gotten a lot better at it and a lot more resourceful." Niwa smiles and leans a little bit back into her chair. "So, tell me. How did you get out of Heavenly Host? I and a few others were the only ones to leave it through the portal."

Sighing a stick my hand into my left pocket and grab the stones.

"With these, make sense now?"

Niwa stares at the stones in my hand.

"... Hey."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just..." She turns away slightly. I follow her gaze and see her looking at something on her desk. She seems to be looking at a picture frame, besides it is a red pentacle shaped hair band.

I look away, I remember now. She lost friends too in that place. In the end, thoroughly traumatized and injured by Heavenly Host she had broken down. Crying about all she had wanted was to see her friends again. I guess she wasn't that different from us in a way. She had intended to find the effects of Saenoki Naho and Ooue Sayaka. Since both had strong spiritual powers she said that there effects had a high chance of becoming spiritual talismans. Remnants of their will would be imprinted on them.

She said she could hear their thoughts and emotions through them.

"So it seems you managed to escape from there, but not unscathed."

"What are you talking about?"

Niwa's eyes meet mine, violet irises tighten and focus on me.

"Those poor souls who die and are unable to escape Heavenly Host, they are erased from the memories of all, except those who've been there. You know this do you not?"

"Yeah, I remember." I briefly recall the photo with blacked out faces. The faces no one could see and nobody but us could remember.

"It seems that you have suffered some of it effects, even though you survived it."

_"When dealing with the Nirvana damage to one's existence is to be expected."_

The book said something like that, I had assumed that since I hadn't died and I could still see my face in the mirror I'd gotten out of there fine. Looks like that wasn't the case, was Shinozaki suffering the same fate? That just made things stranger, her father recognized the name Shinozaki Ayumi. Even before that would you care for someone who you had no memory or knowledge of? Shinozaki had been in a wheel chair and had been clothed properly. She even had her hairbands on. Someone had been caring for her. You wouldn't do that to a person you didn't remember.

"It seems you have some idea of how this happened." Niwa smiles lightly. "I would very much like to hear it."

"Why do you want to know? And even if that's true, you've been in Heavenly Host, but you don't remember me."

"I want to know because knowing is my business. Seeing as the only thing you have to trade is your experience in Heavenly Host, unless you have some other alternative method of paying, I cannot give you the information you might want. Really, I'm doing you a service here."

I grit my teeth. I guess some things don't change. I thought Heavenly Host had shocked some sense into her.

I sigh, might as well tell her what happened to us. She might be able to figure something out.

"The Nirvana, you remember that it was sealed right?"

"Naturally, I was there."

"Do you remember who sealed it?" She looks down at her hands on her lap.

"I wish I could, but all I can remember was that she was very kind."

"Well, I went back to help her. I saw the body of someone who had the Ever After stones, while we were running out of the school, and I took them from him. After I got to her I used them to get her out."

She closes her eyes, leans back, and crosses her arms.

"You're not telling me everything." She says quietly. "If what you say is true then your existence wouldn't have been erased from my mind as well."

She looks up and pins me with her gaze.

"You said `while we were running`, you know about the Ever After stones, and most important of all. You know me. That means that you were there in Heavenly Host the entire time I was there, perhaps even one of the people I discussed my original plans for Heavenly Host. But I have no memory of you whatsoever. Using the Ever After stones would not have such an effect. Even if you used them after the Nirvana had collapsed. They merely connect our world and the Nirvana."

She stands up leaning forward onto the desk.

"What did you do there Kishinuma Yoshiki, what did you do that removed your existence?"

My ears are ringing. I can't look away. My body is going numb. I can see in my head the events of today being played back to me. Like I'm re-watching the events in my head, the ringing grows louder.

"Guh, hrgg." I struggle, it feels like someone's got me in a headlock and is forcing me to look at her.

I see myself walking backwards from Satoshi's house back to mine, I'm unmaking the cup of instant noodles I ate this morning.

"nggg, mmm." I feel tired, like I've pulled an all-nighter at my old job, like I'm sitting back in class in one of the more boring lectures. I see Magari again. I'm back in prison. I'm in the police car. The guy is talking backwards, he's about to say Shinozaki's name.

"! ! !" I stumble forwards and shake my head. Cold sweat breaks out all over my body. Gasping I look up.

Niwa Aiko is back in her chair, her elbows on the desk, chin resting on the backs of her hands.

"So, it seems you can resist my hypnotism. I learned enough though." Her voice is disinterested, bored.

"What *(pant) did you *(pant) do?!" I focus on her hands, I don't want to let her out of my sight but looking at her face is too risky.

"I merely had you show me the past. I wasn't able to go far enough to see what I wanted." The mouth above her hands curves upwards at the corners.

"Don't worry, you still have some bargaining chips left, as a bonus I'll even tell you what's happened to your existence."

"What?"

"Your existence, haven't you noticed? It has been erased, no eroded." Her hands unclasp and she reclines in her seat again.

"It seems that you haven't noticed it, but by looking at your memories I can see it. Do you not think it strange that a person could be pulled into an alleyway, or run out of a police station without being noticed by anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

She sighs.

"Do you ever have a moment where you feel someone is there before you see them, or feel something is there, but when you look there is nothing? All things have the ability to detect the existence of something, the feeling of something being there. However, you have gone completely unnoticed, even when you are making no attempt to hide."

Does that mean the officer at the desk back then wasn't under a spell? Wasn't Magari the one who made it so nobody would see me?

"You even managed to sneak up on me, even if I was not at my most vigilant. Usually, one would have to know "presence concealment" or have some sort of ward or charm to do that. That is why I had you dragged here."

I shake my head.

"That doesn't make sense. There've been plenty of times where people noticed me. I even talked to that guy in the police car."

"That's why I said your existence has been eroded. If it had been erased I wouldn't be able to talk to you or even notice you. You are easier to overlook, sometimes even completely invisible to other people. Although it seems you have no control over it whatsoever." She turns the seat sideways to look out the window.

"You probably came into contact with the Nirvana itself, but not long enough for you to be completely erased. How is she? You said you got her out, but didn't mention what state she was in."

I remain silent. If the little bit of Nirvana I ate did this to me. Then how bad was it with Shinozaki? I could see her and her father knew her. She had eaten far more of the Nirvana than I had. Was it because of the Book of Shadows?

Dammit, I'm getting wrapped up in her pace. I need to know about Shinozaki, even if I don't trust her at all. I can deal with this later.

"That doesn't matter to you. Just tell me anything you know about the name Shinozaki."

She blinks once.

"Shinozaki, so I guess that's who sealed the Nirvana. It makes more sense now. Only someone of that bloodline could seal the Nirvana and continue to remain in my memories, no matter how small a fragment."

"What, are you going to go after her too?"

She smiles and looks at me. I quickly avoid her gaze. I don't want to have her looking through my head anymore.

"And what if I did, would you be able to do anything to stop me?" I clench my fists. If she plans to go after Shinozaki now is my best chance to stop her. The guards are outside and the door is locked. I won't get a better chance than this. If what she says about my existence is true I might even be able to get out alive as well.

"I see. Don't worry. I was saved by her actions I'm not the type to repay kindness with ingratitude."

"How do I trust you?"

"I'm a business woman, first and foremost. My word is all I have."

That's pretty much all I can go on, her word. I never knew her very well. In Heavenly Host she seemed like one of us, just another person trying to get back their friends. Now, either she changed or was always like this. It doesn't matter, I need information.

"I guess it doesn't matter. I need to know more about Shinozaki's family. Like were they attacked by a secret society or something."

"You'll have to narrow it down I'm afraid. The Shinozaki blood line has been entangled with Heavenly Host and the Nirvana in general for a long time."

I don't want to give her address. I know that with Shinozaki Makina at least one other family under the name Shinozaki lived in Tokyo. Add to that the number of homonyms. Hopefully she won't be able to find her too easily.

"Just give me information on anything to do with the Shinozaki family. I don't need info older than 17 years ago."

"That's quite a tall order Mr. Kishinuma, I don't think the information you've given me is enough to cover it."

"What else do you want to know?"

"What about her name, or address?"

"No, I don't trust you. You might not go after her but you said so yourself. `The usage of information is up to the receiver.' I know at least one group is still going after the Book of Shadows."

A small smile and down cast eyes reply.

"Yes, I've said that before. In that case we are at an impasse. You don't have anything to give me anymore, and I won't be giving this data out of charity."

It comes back down to this. To her information is a product, something to be bought and sold. If that's the case though, I might as well try.

"I can give you information about me."

For the first time Niwa looks genuinely confused.

"What?"

"I can't give you information about her, but I can give you information about me, and what I remember about the Nirvana. Is that enough?"

"Ha, ha ha ha. Information about you? I didn't know you were such a narcissistic individual. Fine then, I'll bite. It's true you have an interesting aura, different from most other survivors of Heavenly Host, and I can use information about what happened to the Nirvana after we escaped. But I guess if you stood there and told me all of it we would be here forever."

She opens up a drawer on her desk and pulls out a form.

"What's that?"

"It's a resume template. I have no idea how much or how valuable the information you have is, so I'll need to keep in contact with you. Write down your contact details and address for now so I can find you, and if your trade proves unsatisfactory I'll know where to find you."

She puts a pen down on top of it and pushes it across the desk towards me.

"As a show of good will I'll give you a folder of news articles and other mundane information relating to the Shinozaki's. It covers a time span beyond which you requested but reaches up to recent events."

"Why do you have something like that?"

"I'm an information broker. The Shinozaki's have a history with dealing with the supernatural. Shinozaki Sachiko was the one who created Heavenly Host in the first place. I like to keep tabs on future opportunities, or threats." She gets up and walks over to a shelf and begins looking for something. I pick up the sheet. It feels like I'm signing a contract with the devil.

I write my address, home phone number, and mobile. Niwa pulls out a blue binder from one of the shelves and hands it to me.

"Don't bother returning it, everything here is already copied and backed up either on our system or our archives. I'll contact you when I need you."

I take the folder, is what I need really in here? I have no idea, it's a start though.

"You know the way out don't you? Show yourself out, now I'm busy." She walks back behind the desk and starts looking through the paperwork placed in the tray.

I leave the form on the coffee table and walk out.

...

...

...

By the time I got back home it was past eleven. I took a brief look inside the folder. Mostly it was filled with copies of newspaper clippings, reports, and documents. Most of it was way too old to be relevant now but there were more recent articles.

I opened it up and started looking through it, looking for Shinozaki's name.

It was going to be a long night.


	16. Answers - Chapter 1 - Too Late

**A/N**: The event mentioned in this chapter that elevated its rating from T to M is a cannon event. I did not make it up, although it occurs in a different place from cannon. I would also like to note that if you are not feeling good today, depressed, or otherwise do not read this chapter.

**Yoshiki's Room – Real World Yoshiki**

The file I got from Niwa was huge. It contained copies of articles from the 1940s as well as photos and even diary fragments. I don't know where she got all of this but it's well documented. There's even an index showing date, person mentioned, and printer or source.

I narrow it down to the past 17 years and look through the names. I can see death notices of Shinozaki Makina as well as a couple mentions of a Shinozaki Hinoe. Nothing referencing Shinozaki Ayumi.

I realize that as she was a minor the press wouldn't have been able to print her name.

I sigh. Shinozaki Hinoe seemed to be the most prominent name within the past 17 years. That wasn't saying much though, the number of records petered out towards the end. If I remembered correctly Mist said something about Shinozaki Hinoe, something about her being Shinozaki's sister. I flip to the latest news entry about Shinozaki Hinoe, it was dated November ninth.

**Corpse of renowned spiritualist Shinozaki Hinoe found in burnt down wreckage in Kishi****.**

**At 07:58AM this morning police officers and firefighters recovered the body of Shinozaki, Hinoe (27) from the wreckage of a burned out house in the mountains near District 5 of Kishi province. Firefighters arrived at the scene at 00:31AM after a report of smoke arising from the nearby woods from a passing truck driver. Due to the isolated location firefighters arrived on the scene 8 minutes after the report. An unmarked building was discovered to be in flames in the middle of the woods and after 3 minutes the fire was extinguished. The entire building was incinerated. Miraculously a girl was discovered nearby the house. The girl is a minor and has had her name withheld. No injuries were reported.**

**Police officers arrived at the scene to investigate as both an accident and case. After 7 hours of searching one of the officers discovered what appeared to be an arm underneath the rubble. Firefighters were immediately asked to assist in the rescue operation and dug up the rubble. Underneath the corpse of Shinozaki Hinoe was discovered. The corpse was missing the head and the police are investigating this event as a case as opposed to an accident.**

**The corpse was identified from fingerprint and DNA testing. Most of the corpse remained intact from the fire and collapsing rubble. The head has still not been found.**

**Shinozaki Hinoe was a well-known spiritualist and counsellor. Although not active within public media she provided her services to a wide range of clients ranging from members of the Japanese parliament to ordinary housewives. She was last seen entering the Hinode Aeonmall in Hinode, at around 7:00PM. **

**The house in question was unmarked on any map or database. Due to the severity of the fire it is impossible to guess the structure of the building. However, firefighters reported that before its collapse it was a two story building that resembled an old European style cottage.**

**Police are still continuing their investigation and have cordoned off the area.**

November 29 was when Shinozaki had been hospitalized, I heard from Nakashima that there had been something involving Heavenly Host. Something about a book, I guess that's when she first found that thing. I never heard what happened from anyone. Satoshi and I were both in the dark about what happened with those two. If this news report was true then Shinozaki's sister died there. She didn't say a single thing about it, just another example of her being an idiot and bottling everything up.

Were we really that unreliable as friends? Really, she cried and whined a lot while we were in Heavenly Host but big things like this she doesn't say a word.

I sigh, and look through the other articles associated with that date. Although that was the last news article there were a couple of other forms and notes that dated after it. They were also labelled as being about Shinozaki Hinoe. A copy of a death certificate took up the top half of the opposite page followed by an autopsy report.

"... What the fuck is this?"

The death certificate listed the standard name, birth place, residence and other information as well as the date of her death. Her autopsy report was what made me say that.

Multiple bruises, ranging from 5 to 9 centimeters in diameter are on the stomach and upper thighs.

The female genitalia were heavily bruised with signs of abrasion. Numerous blood clots and cuts were found within the vagina.

My mind went blank. I just continued staring at the file, trying to see if I'd read something wrong or there was some other mistake. It doesn't change, the clinical description about what happened to Shinozaki Hinoe remains the same.

"What the fuck." I drop the file.

Then I kick the table.

It flips over with a thump throwing the file across the room.

This is fucked up. If Shinozaki was the minor located at that site... I don't even want to think about it. I just want to punch someone. The last time I was this mad was when Shinozaki told me what Yuki had done to her.

"GODDAMMIT!" I slam my fist into the carpet. Why, why do these things have to happen? Why am I not there to stop them?

I hear a banging at my door.

"Hey, keep it down. What time do you think it is?" a muffled voice follows.

I can't just stand here. I need to get out. I walk to the door and slam it open.

"Whoa! What the hell?" A young man in a loose white T-shirt and baggy shorts was in the way.

I brush past him and start running down the stairs.

...

...

...

I ended up in front of Shinozaki's house, it's pitch black. I don't know what I'm doing here or what I can do. I just ended up here after running out of my apartment. I'm covered in sweat, and my chest hurts. I'm still gasping for breath.

"Goddammit, goddammit all." I lean back and then collapse next to a telephone pole opposite the gates of her house.

This is all fucked up, my head hurts and my vision goes blurry.

I just wanted to save Shinozaki, to keep her safe. To thank her for crying for me, for stopping me from getting kicked out by Tsubota. For helping me make the first real friends I had in a long time and enjoy school.

"God... dammit." I can feel tears going down my face, wet warmth flows down and around my cheeks. My chest feels like it's about to burst. I end up just pounding my fist against the pavement over and over again.

"... hurt?"

"Huh?" I suddenly grow more tired. My arms and legs no longer listen to me. My voice chokes in my throat. My tears grow cold.

"Pain... pain... go away..."

Is somebody patting me on the head?

"Now... help... give... body."

I black out as I feel small cold hands against my cheeks.

* * *

**A/N:** Writing this chapter was grim. I spent most of my time looking through reference material, i.e. timelines of Corpse Party, dates, Japanese School calendars, and Google Maps. I don't live in Tokyo so I don't know the layout well enough but Kishi province which was mentioned in BoS is a real place as well as the places I mentioned in the news article. Looking up average response times of firefighters for the article and then the average amount of time a building burns down in (which I admit is actually doubled in that article but there are reasons for that). I had originally planned to write out a full autopsy report for Hinoe (It's a serious event and I wouldn't want to make it look like I trivialized it or threw it in just to provoke someone.) and I had read a variety of publicly available autopsy reports in order to do that but it got pretty graphic and the way it is written now portrays Yoshiki's outrage better than having the entire thing there as if he read the entire thing, I hope.

I do not condone sexual violence in any way or form, and if it wasn't for cannon putting that in Blood Drive I would not have written the above at all.

On an unrelated note I've been doing some research into other large fics i.e. fics that release about 10k+ words per chapter but update maybe once every 2 or 3 months. The average scene length is probably identical between this fic an those other ones. about 1600 words per scene. However, those larger chapters have about 6 or 7 scenes in 1 chapter while I have about 2 on my longer chapters and 1 on my shorter ones.


	17. Answers - Chapter 2 - Feelings

"Kishinuma-kun"

Who is that? My body feels heavy, cold.

"Kishinuma-kun"

It's warm, the voice is warm. I haven't heard it in a long time.

"Kishinuma-kun, wake up."

Shinozaki?

My eyes open, it's still night. I'm still lying against the telephone pole across from Shinozaki's house.

"You're awake. Really, what are you doing here?"

It's Shinozaki, her blue eyes look at me a little worried. She's on bended knees in front of me.

The skirt of Kisaragi Academy reaches her knees, her hands folded over her lap.

"Shinozaki..."

"What, is there something on my face?" She frowns a little and leans back.

"A-are you alright, can you move?" I stutter.

"... For now, I can. I still took a lot of damage when sealing the Nirvana." She smiles lightly as if she's talking about a scrape or small wound.

"Let's go inside it's getting cold out here." She stands up. The sound of her shoes against the pavement clicks with the chirps of grasshoppers and other insects.

"H-hey wait!" I scramble getting up and jog to catch up to her.

"Be quiet, my dad's still sleeping." She shushes me as I reach her. She opens the door silently and I follow her in.

We take off our shoes, the hall way is dark, I can only barely make out the doors along it. We walk past the first door on the right and into the second one.

"Sorry about yesterday. My dad's a bit touchy, ever since he learned about my sister, and I became like this." She opens the door and we go into a room. It looks normal, just a desk in the far right corner and a bed on the left, a bookshelf next to the door.

"Yeah, I... I..." I can't say I know. I don't know what to say. Satoshi always knew what to say better than I could. I just acted, sometimes without thinking.

"Kishinuma-kun, over here."

"Huh?"

She's sat on the bed by the pillow, her left hand pats the place beside her.

"Let's talk a bit, I don't think I have much time."

"Alright." I walk over and plop down next to her. Even though she said she wanted to talk the only thing I hear at the moment is the quiet orchestra of the insects outside.

"Nobody remembers us now, do they?" She sounds a little sad, resigned.

"Yeah, I met Niwa yesterday. She didn't recognize me at all, although she's changed a lot."

"I see, so Aiko-san got out as well." She smiles lightly. "Did everyone else get out?"

"I think so, I haven't checked though, I passed by Satoshi's place as well today. He's got a hot spring at his house now, can you believe it?"

"A hot spring, really?"

"Yeah, they even had a sign, saying `Mochida's Hot Spring`."

"Weird" She chuckles. "A hot spring wouldn't bad right about now."

"Maybe, someday we can meet them."

She turns to me looking quizzical. "Eh?"

"They may not remember us, but we became friends before, we could probably be friends again. Satoshi's way to nice for his own sake anyways. Maybe we could get him to let us in." I lean back a little bit on the bed with both hands, and look out the window.

"Really, troubling Mochida-kun again? You couldn't get him to let you go during the school festival."

"Hey, getting grabbed by the ear hurts a lot you know!"

She chuckles a little bit. I'm not really mad, I can't really think about much at the moment. Shinozaki is here, I'm just glad I can talk to her.

*(Sniff)

She's suddenly started crying a little.

"I want to see everyone again."

"Everyone? You mean Yui-sensei and the others?"

She nods, and wipes her tears with the back of her hand.

"Well... we'll probably see them again someday."

She looks up at me again.

"The Nirvana is gone, so their souls have been released as well. We'll see them again, when we go up to meet them."

She smiles a little and nods. She's still got tears on her face. I sigh.

"Your nose is dripping you know."

"Wha-What are you saying!"

"Here." I take out my handkerchief out of my back pocket.

"I keep one spare on at all times, don't want you using my shirt as a tissue again."

"Why you!"

"Wha-!"

She grabs onto my shirt and pushes her face into it.

"Hey, whattya-!"

PAAAAAAARRP

"Hey! *(sigh) really, what are you, 2?"

I pat the top of her head. Even though she just blew her nose I can tell from the growing wetness on my shirt that she's still crying.

"You know, I met Shinohara-san again. In Heavenly Host."

Her face is still burrowed into my shirt, I keep stroking her head.

"Really, what did she say?"

"She was worried about Nakashima-san, about me. She told me she was fine. Told me to tell Nakashima-san that she'd moved on."

"Shinohara, she was really something wasn't she. Really, if Satoshi wasn't so clueless he would have been worried Nakashima would be taken by her."

"Even then, Mochida-kun was pretty dependable, back there."

"... What about me?"

"What about you?"

"... Was... I dependable?"

"... a little bit."

"Hey, I'd prepared a lot of stuff you know, planning out to come here. Had an entire backpack... just couldn't get it 'cuz... I was looking for a way to get to you."

"You still had the time to grope Mizuki-san's breasts."

"Wha! I didn't even think about that, I just needed to ya know... seriously, it's 'cuz you ran off on your own."

"I know, thank you Kisinuma-kun." Her voice is quiet. She's spent this entire time with her face in my chest. She's stopped crying though, I think.

"What is it, Shinozaki?"

"Will you keep on helping me?"

"Huh?"

"I can't move around much on my own anymore. I can't go back to school either, and I don't want to trouble my parents."

She's trembling, the knuckles of the fingers she hooked into my shirt are white.

"I can't take care of myself anymore, and nobody remembers me."

_"__Your existence, haven't you noticed? It has been erased, no eroded."_

I only ate a small part of the Nirvana. That alone caused people to notice me less, sometimes outright ignore me. If that happened to Shinozaki while she couldn't move, she wouldn't be able to take care of herself. Maybe even starving to death because she couldn't be seen by anyone, nor move to feed herself.

"Don't worry about it, it's going to be okay." I pat the top of her head and her trembling stops.

"I promised, a long time ago "no matter what happens" I'd protect you."

"... Thank you, Kishinuma-kun."

God, this is embarrassing. My face is heating up, I start scratching my chin. I look to the side, at the bookshelves, anything to distract me.

"So... well yeah, y'know... Mhmm?!"

I fall back onto the bed. Shinozaki's on top of me. Her mouth breaks away from mine.

It was a kiss. I'm too surprised to understand it.

"Kishinuma-kun..."

I swallow. I can feel her weight on top of me, she's soft, warm. The moonlight from the window surrounds her.

She bends down, straddling me. Another kiss, my arms start reaching around her. I can smell the shampoo she uses.

I can feel myself pressing up against her.

"Shinozaki..." I push her back a little so I can look her in the eye. She smiles.

"Kishinuma-kun... it's alright." Her right hand lightly caresses my cheek while her left grasps my own.

She gets back up and shifts a little. She's on my thighs. My head feels hot, I can't think about anything.

She rubs me lightly, and chuckles, before reaching up and pulling down the zipper.

"! Shinozaki, wait!"

"Kishinuma-kun..." I can't move, as if all my limbs have suddenly gone numb. I can only feel my heart beating faster and faster, its sound getting louder and louder in my ears.

She reaches under her skirt and moves something then gets up on her knees a little and then sits back down, slowly.

I feel something wet and hot running down me and then onto me.

"Shi... no... za... ki." It hurts, like a vice. I feel skin being stretched and then squeezed. I can't hear the night orchestra. Only a rushing sound filled spaced with the beats of my heart.

"! ! !" I feel a pull and then a push. A pull and then a push, repeating. Every time I feel Shinozaki's soft thighs bouncing on me. I feel hotter and hotter.

I feel her squeeze me tightly.

"!"

My body suddenly stops heating up, gradually cooling down. I feel colder and colder.

I look back up. Shinozaki is looking down at me. She's smiling. But...

Her eyes, are black.

...

...

...

...

...

My eyes blink open. I look at a ceiling I don't recognize.

"Ugh, huh?"

I can't move, I look down, there are ropes tying me down to the bed. Ropes wrapped around me and the bed. My arms are tied to the bed posts separate from my body.

I tug on them a bit but all I can do is rattle the bed a little. My entire body feels tired, sore.

Creaaaaaaaaakkkkk

The door at the end of the room opens. I crane my head to see over my chest.

"You're awake."

A man walks in, the same man I met two days ago.

* * *

**A/N:** I changed the story from T to M for a reason. To be honest as a teen I think I saw and read way worse material, and just from listening to what some teens say on public transport or outside I personally believe that the rating change wasn't completely necessary if it weren't for the problem of consent. Touchy matter, true. Corpse Party had a number of souls who described similar experiences, although they were female.

Once again I do not condone the events I write about in my story.


	18. Answers - Chapter 3 - Talk

**Unknown Room – Real World Yoshiki**

"You're awake."

This guy is looking at me but I can't see his eyes. The morning sunlight stabbing in through the window reflects off his rectangular glasses. He's wearing a navy blue cotton vest over a light blue, collared shirt.

I grit my teeth. "What the hell is this? Untie me asshole!" I yank my arms but the bed only rattles in response.

He pushes his glasses back up his nose with his index finger and walks towards the window. He closes the curtains and the room turns black. A little light leaks in between and around the pink cloth but is then blocked by him. He turns around.

"This is the second time you've come here. I would assume your last visit should have been enough?" He grabs the chair from under the desk and takes a seat. I can barely see him in the gloom now.

"Why do you care? Just let me go!" I yank my arms again, they feel a little looser than before.

"Indeed, why do I care?" He gets up and pulls something out of his back pocket. I hear a flicking sound and a silver glitter appears in his right hand.

"I suppose it was a slight gesture of kindness, after all nobody else cares about you."

thump, thump

The dull thump of socked feet crosses the carpet echoed by the sound of my own pulse. I'm sweating like mad now and rattling the bed harder than ever.

"HELP, SOMEBODY, HELP!" I yell out at the top of my lungs. Last time Shinozaki's mother stopped this guy from beating me into a pulp. Even if she's not here, someone outside could hear me. I keep rattling the bed, each time the ropes feel looser and looser.

thump, thump

He's right next to me, looking down at me. All I can see is his outline and the glint of his glasses. I yank one last time and my arms come free. I push myself up and grab at the ropes around my chest. I yank and tug but every time I pull I feel like I'm getting more tangled up. The ropes that were just holding me down are now squeezing my legs. They feel numb.

I thrash my legs trying to get them free and a knot on my chest comes undone. It releases a rope that was around my collar which snaps up under my chin. I grab at it just before it reaches my neck and I'm yanked back down onto the bed. My hands that were tied to the bed post are now stuck holding onto the rope trying to strangle me. My fingers burn as the rope creaks, almost hungrily.

This entire time this guy hasn't moved at all, just standing there. Even now he's just watching me, like a child watching a worm wriggling and drying out under the sun.

I try to free my legs but that only makes the rope around my neck tighten.

"Why did you come back here?" He asks, calmly. "Why don't you run away?"

"That's... none... of... your... business!" I gasp out as I struggle with the rope. My knuckles are scraping my chin. It feels as if someone was winding up a winch attached the rope. Every moment it slipped a little was another one I couldn't get back.

His right hand moves over my chest, he holds the knife in a reverse grip. It hovers over the middle of my chest.

"What are you willing to do for Shinozaki Ayumi?" He's leaning over me slightly to position the knife. I don't see any emotion on his face, not the slightest wrinkle or twitch of the mouth.

"Kuh, hrrk" I can't answer, my fingers are pinned beneath the rope. I might as well be strangling myself. What am I willing to do for Shinozaki? That's obvious. I've already told myself what I would do for her. I've already told her what I'd do for her. That's why I can't just kick the bucket here. I can't let anyone or anything stop me.

I grit my teeth and pull as hard as I can on the rope. My vision goes blurry. I hear a snap and I lurch forward. I gasp for air a few times and then whip around to where the guy was standing next to me.

He isn't there, I hear the clack of a door knob turning and I turn back towards the door. He still has the knife in his right hand, but he's not facing me. He opens the door and walks out without saying anything. I hear him turn down the hallway and then his footsteps grow louder as he climbs the stairs and fade away as he ascends.

"What the fuck was that?" I breathe out. I untie myself from the rest of the rope and start to get off the bed when I hear softer footsteps coming down the hall. They sound as if they are wearing slippers. The half closed door creaks open again, and it's the women who talked to the police last time. I guess she is Shinozaki's mother.

"I'm sorry about my husband, Ayato, he hasn't had it easy these last couple months." She smiles slightly. She wears a yellow cardigan over a white U necked shirt. Her hands are clasped together in front of a peach skirt that went slightly past her knees.

She walks towards the window and opens them up again. "Ever since we lost Hinoe no one's been able to look after Ayumi. He's been worried about it for quite a while." She opens up the closed window and lets in some fresh air. "You're also worried about her, right? That's why you came back here." She turns around to look back at me, her eyes are blue like Shinozaki's.

"Don't worry about her, you didn't hurt her yesterday." Her tone is quiet, conversational. I hadn't even thought about what happened yesterday. Thinking about me makes my insides turn cold. I feel chills going up my back and goose bumps popup all over me.

I'd seen those eyes before. Those pitch black eyes with no white. Those were Sachi's eyes. What had happened yesterday? I ran here after reading about Hinoe then I...

I collapsed in front of the house. I briefly remember that scratching voice, and the feeling of that small hand against my cheek. Sachi had been there, in front of me. After that I blacked out. Then I met Shinozaki and we... had sex.

That should have made me blush, feel warm, or at the very least embarrassed. All I felt was regret and cold, like I'd been dipped in ice water. I wanted to go back and undo it, to stop it. That wasn't right, that wasn't Shinozaki, yet I... I...

I feel a hand on my head. It tousles my hair. "It's alright, you haven't hurt her. The seal worked. Ayumi is still in Hinoe's room. She hasn't moved from there at all." I look up. "It's alright so breathe." I'd been hyperventilating, I hadn't even noticed.

I take one deep breath and try to calm down. She said Shinozaki was fine. Then what was it that I had seen yesterday?

"What's going on, what the fuck is going on." I feel tired, drained almost. I don't care anymore. I just want to know what's happened to Shinozaki. Instead I'm just getting more and more confused. I need some answers, at this rate I feel like I'm going to go crazy.

Her hand retracts from my head and clasps its partner in front of her again. "Do you want to know? Learning something you don't want to can end up destroying you." Her face looks grim, serious. Her blue eyes are narrowed, as if reminiscing a bad memory.

"I don't care anymore. I've already seen and heard stuff I've never wanted to. I don't want to be running around in the dark. So, just tell me. What is going on here? Why is Shinozaki like that, what did I see yesterday?" I hold my head in my hands.

She nods once. "I understand, I shall tell you, what has happened to Ayumi." She sits down next to me, where Shinozaki sat next to me on the bed. Her hands remain clasped, now on her lap. "And what you saw yesterday."

"Ayumi was never able to move, ever since she was born. When she was a baby she was very quiet. She didn't cry at all, I only knew when to feed her or change her diaper because her sister, Hinoe, told me. We took her to a number of doctors but they never figured it out. They said physically she was in good condition, much better than a person who couldn't move their own. Hinoe used to take care of her the most. She seemed to know what she wanted or liked all the time. I guess she was more a mother to her than I was. I don't know how you know her or why you say she's your classmate. She never went to school."

Shinozaki couldn't move since she was born? She never went to school? Is this also because her existence was erased? Did her entire history disappear, like Morishige and the others? But she's here and her family remembers her, just no one else.

"About what you saw yesterday, that was a shiki-gami. Ayato prepared it beforehand in case that child tried to bring in anyone from outside." That child, she's not talking about Shinozaki, is it Sachi?

"Ayato said that it was a relative of ours. A child of the Shinozaki family, he didn't know how or when she died, but we know what it wants. It wants a body." I feel like I've been punched in the gut. I don't want to hear it, but I have to ask.

"Is she trying to use Shinozaki, to give her another body?" My fists clench, I feel that same anger I did yesterday. I want to just smash something, anything. I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, every month she tries. The first one she tried to use was Ayato." My chest hurts, squeezing. I want to explode but at the same time I'm too tense to do so. I just feel pain. I don't know if I'm angry or sad. Feelings just swirl around in my head. If Sachi was here in front of me, I'd probably be trying to break her scrawny neck. I wouldn't have cared if she was a ghost or not. Shinozaki's mother takes her hand away from my shoulder. I'm shaking.

"She hasn't succeeded yet" She states calmly turning back to the window "and Ayato has created some seals and charms for her. You already experienced one. It's meant to act as an "exchange" for Ayumi. She can't move, but that child can draw people in either through dreams or hallucinations. The Shiki-gami merges into those hallucinations and focusses them on it instead of Ayumi. It shows whatever the person, inside the hallucination, wants to see, the creator of the hallucination as well." Then, does that mean the Shinozaki I saw wasn't real? She was just an illusion? That talk we had was simply something I wanted to see myself? I feel slightly relieved, at the same time I can feel tears slowly filling my eyes. That talk with Shinozaki wasn't real. Just something I had wanted to see. A hallucination, a dream, Shinozaki had never moved from that room I saw her in the day before yesterday. Nothing had changed, not a single damn thing... But she also said the "creator of the hallucination" was being tricked as well.

"Doesn't she notice?" I ask. Shinozaki's mother turns to look at me again. "I never said the child was a she." Her blue eyes pin me for a moment before turning back to the window. "You know that child, what's her name?"

How much does Shinozaki's family know about their history? Shinozaki never said anything about it, if she had known more she wouldn't have tried out the charm on Saenoki Naho's blog. Do they know about the Book of Shadows? About the Nirvana? Should I even tell them?

"I guess it doesn't matter, you were the one asking questions. Even if I knew her name I guess I wouldn't be able to do anything for her anyways." She interrupts my thoughts midway.

"That child doesn't notice because the Shiki-gami feels the same as Ayumi. It was made with strands of her hair and what's more it shows that child what she wants. Her getting a new body, for now the prospect alone is distracting her." So it won't keep her distracted forever. If she's still as powerful as she was back in Heavenly Host...

"Now I have a question for you. Do you love Ayumi?" I blink in surprise, and turn to look at her. She's still staring out the window. Her carefree way of talking and her attitude, it's not like Shinozaki at all. She always felt responsible for everything, even things that weren't her fault.

"What's that got to do with anything." I don't know why I'm being embarrassed, or defensive. I've already gone through hell for her, the answer is obvious. But I can't say it.

"I guess nothing really. I just wanted to know about my daughter's love life. It's a mother's favorite past time you know?" I turn to stare at her. She's staring out the window again but with a light smile.

"Tell me what you know about Ayumi." She continues looking out the window. What I know about Shinozaki? The Shinozaki I know, not this twisted backstory she has now? "Tell me about my daughter. What was she like? Why did you fall for her?" I turn away, this person's randomness rivals Seiko. She remains silent, waiting for an answer.

"She... takes on too many things, even things that shouldn't bother her, ends up getting her into more trouble than it's worth." I don't know why I'm telling her this. "She sticks her nose into other people's troubles all the time, and gets emotional about it, sometimes... even crying." If she wasn't such a busy body I would have probably been expelled after hitting Tsubota. Thanks to her butting in, I stayed in school, and in the end I made some friends. I guess I can't really blame her for that. "She's brave thane she looks especially since she's a crybaby. She wines and cries a lot but even then she tries her best." Like the time she asked Yuki to take us back into Heavenly Host. Like the time she went back to Heavenly Host with Mist. Like the time she smiled at us in the core of the Nirvana.

I don't know why, but I ended up simply talking about Shinozaki for a while. What our class was like, the events and plays we held. Her bossiness as the class rep, her love of ghost stories, her infamy as "the ghost story class rep", how she always carried around candles to improve the atmosphere of her stories. I even ended up talking about what happened in Heavenly Host, about Sachiko, about our friends.

"She made us promise to meet up at school again, the next day. Said it was an order from the class rep." The sun has set, it's dark outside again. I ended up just talking all this time. Shinozaki's mother didn't say anything, she just sat there and listened.

"I see, Ayumi really has some good friends." The small smile she had ever since I started talking is still there. "I guess it's late now, you should go home." She stands up from the bed. "That child will probably try again tonight." I grit my teeth, my fists clench. "Do you want to see Ayumi before that?"

"Huh?" I look up at her. "I think Ayumi would like that too. She's been all alone in that room ever since Hinoe passed away. I'm sure she would like a visit." She begins to walk out of the room. I stand up and follow her. Shinozaki's mother is standing in front of the door just to the left of the entrance. I walk towards it, put my hand on the handle, and open it.

Shinozaki is there, the moonlight coming in from the window casts the half I can see in shadow. She looks exactly the same since I last saw her. She hasn't budged an inch. I guess yesterday really was a hallucination.

I walk over to her and kneel down so I can get down to her level. Her right eye is covered by an eye patch, the left is closed. She looks like she's sleeping.

"It's time Kishinuma-kun." I start a little, Shinozaki also called me that. Her mother used the exact same way to call me. I look back at Shinozaki, get up and walk towards the entrance.

As I put on my shoes I hear from behind me. "Please be friends with Ayumi, even from now on." I turn, and I see the top of Sinozaki's mother's head. She's bowing to me, like you would when asking someone a favor. She raises her head. "Come visit us again. I'm sure Ayumi would like some company. I'll convince of Ayato."

"Y-yeah, thanks um..." I don't know her name. I've talked with her this long and it didn't even cross my mind to ask.

"Asuka, I am Shinozaki, Asuka. I look forward to seeing you again." She smiles again. "Now you should really go home now, you probably don't want to be caught twice in a row."

I shudder, I've been talking peacefully this entire time, but Sachi is still here. Her curse is still active. I turn to leave and push open the door to the entrance. I take one last look back into the house. Only the yawning blackness of the empty hallways can be seen.

...

...

...

I get home, thankfully none of my stuff has been taken. I don't think I locked the door when I burst out yesterday. I set the table upright again and pick up the file I threw across the room yesterday. Setting the file on the table I notice a voice mail on my home phone. I press the play button, Niwa's voice starts coming out of it.

"If you're playing this I would like to notify you that you have missed your first appointment in our deal. I make it a policy of mine to take what I believe I am owed. Sadly there was nothing of value in your apartment so I have satisfied myself with placing a team of my subordinates to capture you when this message finishes. Please do not struggle I would like for you to be in a useable state when we next meet."

The door I had locked when I came in opens, I turn around and see 4 men in suits and sunglasses walk in.

"Kishinuma Yoshiki, the Vice President would like to see you." His tone doesn't give room for negotiations.

Gyuuuuuuuuruuuuu~

The one ending up answering them is my stomach. I sigh, "Sure, just buy me something to eat or I'm going to collapse."

"That can be arranged." I walk towards them and they surround me, two in front two in back. I'm escorted to a black car, get in the back seat with the two who were following behind me and we drive off towards the city center, to PL LLC.

* * *

**A/N:** I hate drinking, makes my head hurt, has tons of calories, and the next day even though I don't get sick or have headaches I just feel like shit. Like I want to do something but lack the motivation to do it. This chapter was sort of finished almost a week ago and the next chapter is also written up.

Why haven't I uploaded them? Mainly confidence issues about whether what I'm writing is good or worth it. Also I tried to work on Chapter 20 today (30/08/2014), but the drinking side effects are sapping my creativity. Anyone who says creativity is increased by being in the bar or having a couple of wines, I secretly want to take to a brewery and then push into a fermenting vat.

Let's see how creative they can be trying to get out. Ugh.

Anyways anti-alcohol rant aside, I've slowed down my writing a lot for a couple of reasons. This summer project thing is hard, I have to go to London for a conference/presentation, having a plan of what comes next is one thing; writing it and making it intriguing and engaging is another.

I hope those of you still reading regularly like what I've written so far. Reviews really help out in terms of motivation and sometimes even give me ideas for interludes and chapters.

Thanks for reading again. I want to write fluffy moments to!


	19. Ex-Chapter 2 - Nov 9, 2008 Audio Only

**November Eighth, Shinozaki Estate – Audio Only**

"Hey, is this really the place?"

"Yeah, creepy ain't it? Building comes up outta nowhere."

"Fucking freaky, creepy shit been going on here."

"'Course it is. This is where that book was ain't it, it's THE Book of Shadows."

"Still dunno who ya got that weird ass info from."

"I nicked some books from that rich pricks place before she ditched the grave. She had some notes stuck in 'em looking for it. This place was on one of the notes stuck in there."

"And you came here all by yourself, fuck man you got balls ha ha!"

"Laugh it up, it's 'cuz of me you guys are getting a ride to the top."

"Bullshit, you're just too much of a pussy to grab some broad on the street."

"The fuck you say?!"

"Hey, hey guys. Take it easy, you know we all don't believe your cult stuff, man. You just up and call us 4 one day telling us you got a once in a lifetime opportunity. So far it's just another night of hunting, though one of them's a bit young."

"Shaddup fucking pedo, we know you like 'em young."

"The older ones scream too much, have to end up gagging them. Smaller ones are quieter."

"Ha, bet you'd love that one then, won't make a peep."

"Guys, Jeez, don't just leave us behind! It ain't easy dragging someone up a hill"

"Shut it, at least she's moving. I had to carry this one all the way up here."

"Enough, let's just get inside."

Creeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaak

"... This place give me the fucking creeps."

"Thought you were the tough guy among us, Tetsuya."

"He's right, Sadanishi, this place isn't normal. What did you say this place was again?"

"It's just a house, someone from their family used to live here. That's all. Come on, we need to look for clues, split up, yell if you find something."

"What do we do with these two then?"

"Just leave the girl at the entrance, she isn't moving anywhere. The other one might know something, give her to me."

"She hasn't said anything ever since we grabbed her. You'd think she'd scream or something."

"She knows she can't run, plus with that seal she's got around her throat she can't try anything weird on us, either."

"The fuck's a necklace gonna do."

"It does look painful."

"It's cutting off her spiritual connections, she's a Shinozaki, and also one of the Wiccan Institute can't be too carful around those witches."

"Fucking, looney."

"Hey, guys. Look let's just ask the pretty lady where to find this book and let's be done with it. So, lady, know anything about this place, about a book?"

"..."

"Great a fucking comatose brat and a mute broad."

"Shut it, you go check inside, I'll take the woman. Kodama, you stay at the entrance."

"Jeez what am I, the baby sitter. I already carried her up here and now I have to watch her too?"

"It's to make sure this one doesn't get away. If she makes a break for it don't let her get out of the building."

"What, you saying you can't hold onto her, I dragged her up here, giver her to me. I'll make sure you don't lose her."

"Fuck off, you and Watanabe can check down the hall. Goto you come upstairs with me."

"Don't order me around, fucktard."

"Calm down Goto, so me and Nakagawa will take the first floor, but what are we looking for exactly?"

"We're looking for a book, you'll know it when you see it. Now go."

"Sheesh, so pushy, isn't he Nakagawa?"

"Let's just go, unless you wanna do the girl while he's away."

"Hey, hey, but that would make me feel bad, only me having the fun."

"Pedophile"

"You wound my feelings, Nakagawa."

**First Floor Hall – Shinozaki Estate – Audio Only**

"Seriously, this place gives me the creeps."

"We've all said that a couple of times now, Nakagawa just get over it. Let's check in here."

"What is this a bathroom, yuck."

"Doesn't look like there's a book here, I guess the next one is the bathroom?"

"Looks like you're right."

"What's that?"

"Huh"

"Thought I saw something in the bath tub."

"Don't say that man, place is creepy enough already. Ugh, looks like some scummy water. You probably saw the moonlight reflecting off of it or something."

"No, I definitely saw something, lift up the cover a bit more."

"Fine, I don't see... ! ! !"

"Really, take a closer look,"

Splash! splish, splash

"Are you sure you don't see anything Nakagawa? Maybe you need to look a bit further."

splash, splash, splash blub blub blub

"Did you find anything? ... Too bad, but at the moment you're in the way, well I guess this tub is big enough... let's just make sure you're all inside... there! And now the cover... Perfect, now nobody will ever find you."

"Oh, hi little girl, I did as you wanted. Now do you want to play with me?"

"What cute black eyes you have! ...What? You want to play doctor? Sure, I'll be the doctor and...You're going to be the doctor? Okay then doctor what do you want to do today? Oh... that sounds fun! Yes let's do it. We even have two patients today. I'll go get the other one. Where's the operating table? Oh, okay I'll go tell Sadanishi that. I'll take Kodama to the kitchen before that. See you soon!"

"Hey, Kodama!"

"What, Watanabe, where's Nakagawa?"

"He's checking out the living room, I'm taking over the kitchen but I can't get the door to open."

"Why don't you ask Nakagawa to do it?"

"What you scared of going inside? Come on, the more the merrier right, the faster we get this floor checked out the faster we can go upstairs and help them."

"Jeez, really, I'm blaming you if Sadanishi gets pissed at me for this."

"It's fine, nobody's getting out of here anyways."

**Second Floor – Shinozaki Estate – Audio Only**

"This place is fucking weird, why doesn't this shitty dresser move?"

"Quit whining about it and keep looking."

"Fuck you, you're just holding onto the bitch, standing around doing nothing. Let's swap. You keep on looking in here, and I'll hold onto her."

"No, if you roughed her up you might remove the seal, we can't risk that. Especially in here."

"The fuck do you mean especially in here? You not telling us something?"

"Hey, hey, guys. Whoa, really you should have thought out splitting up the group. You guys already have the worst chemistry."

"Watanabe, what are you doing here?"

"The fuck is Nakagawa?"

"Oh, he's checking the living room, I just jogged up here to get you this key. Tried it everywhere downstairs but didn't fit. Thought you guys might need it."

"Give me that, hmm, maybe..."

thump thump thump, click

"Well whaddya know really does fit this one."

"Let's take a look inside."

"Hey, Watanabe, you sure Nakagawa's downstairs?"

"It's an empty house Goto. What's Nakagawa going to do drown himself to death?"

"Shut up both of you, this might be the jackpot."

"What about Kodama and Nakagawa?"

"We'll get them later, first check this room."

"Fucking hell, fine place gives me the creeps."

Creeeeeaaaaaaak

"Somebody takes way too many fucking photos, ugh why's the guy's face all scribbled out in all of them?"

"Hey, guys look at this!"

"A safe, fuck man, looks pretty tight. How do we open it?"

"We'll just have to look for clues, start looking in the desk or..."

Click

"What the fuck, hey Nakagawa how'd you know the combination?"

"Just tried lucky number 7 that's all, looks like it really is lucky."

"Alright, let's go down. This is it."

"Fucking freaky cultist."

creak, creak, creak, creak

"What the fuck is this place?"

"Looks like a ritual chamber, but... where's the book?"

stab

"! ! ! COUGH, HACK Nakagawa, the fuck are you doing?"

"Shhhh, don't cry. It'll all be over soon. Just... (splurt) a...(scrape)little... (crack)more!"

SPLASH, SPLATTER, SPLISH, drip, drip, drip, drip

"Heeeeeyyy, Sadanishi, you've pissed yourself. I guess you're too scared to even speak right? It's okay, I like it when they're quieter. But, I think I'll let your fate be decided by her. So, Hinoe-san. What should we do with him?"

"... Let him go."

"... *Sigh Really, you are too much of a good person. This guy's the one who had us kidnap you and your sister, you know. He's also one of the guys in that group that attacked you in the other fate. Do you seriously think he's worth letting go."

"... Hate only breeds more hate, suffering only breeds more suffering. This was supposed to come, I made it come by my own choice. He's just an innocent bystander in this situation, just another person trapped by fate."

"... You Shinozaki's really are something. Well Sadanishi, guess you get to walk out of this... but it's quite a waste for you to have been walked here... and you really wanted to get the Book of Shadows. Oh, it's here alright, just beyond that wall, break through it and it'll be right there. The chronicles of the entire history of the witches."

thump, stumble, scritch, scratch, CRASH

"haa, haa, ha ha, HA HA HA HA, IT'S HERE THE BOOK OF SHADOWS! NOW TAKE THIS YOU SH..."

CRUNCH, drip, drip, drip. Thump

"I know you're happy Sadanishi, but was it really worth losing your head over it?"

"... Well then Shinozaki, Hinoe you've already probably noticed that this time is different. Sadanishi was too busy trying to dig up stuff about the book to participate in the attack this time. So although they managed to ambush you, you managed to get away."

thump, thump, splash, scrape

"Ugh, what a messy eater, this book is. It's got bits of you all over its lips Sadanishi. Anyways you've been here to make sure that girl could reach here, eventually. She's pretty empty at the moment, an easy target for a lot of spirits. But some things have to happen because they have to happen, and some things happen because they've already happened. I guess the characters changed in this scenario but we'll go through the motions at the very least."

...

...

...

"... I guess this is it then Hinoe, I'm not as precise as a magical cut but I think I did a good enough job. Now, to get the book back to its master."

**November Ninth, Shinozaki Estate**

Watanabe Masaru, set down Ayumi outside the house, the book, cradled in her arms.

"Well now I've got to go back inside now. Since, nobody's getting out of here anyways."

Stepping into the estate the door shuts behind him. A childish giggle sounds followed by another, and another, sounding on top of each other until they blocked out all other sounds with giggles. The giggling stops.

The firefighters arrive 30 minutes later, to find a girl clutching a book to her chest. And a house engulfed in red flames. No trace of blood is on the book. The car the 5 men used is not at the bottom of the hill.


	20. New Life - Chapter 1 - Business

**Niwa Aiko's office – Perfect Life Promotion Agency Yoshiki**

"I see, so you ate the Nirvana." Niwas Aiko sighed, her hands folded in front of her.

After I had been taken in by her bodyguards I'd been taken up to her office at Perfect Life Promotion Agencey. Apparently she had called yesterday while I was at Shinozaki's house. After I didn't pick up she had sent some of her men to my address. When they only found an empty room with the folder left behind she had them wait there after leaving a message on my home phone.

_"At first I was going to have my subordinates clean out your room and liquidate any assets they could find."_ She had said when I asked her why she set up an ambush for me.

_"But, since there was so little value to any of the objects there in comparison to your debt, I decided I'd wait a little bit for you to comeback. Of course this waiting time is also going to be included in my interest." _The Mona Lisa smile she was wearing didn't match what she was saying at all. Come to think of it she's never said anything half decent while wearing that smile.

"I find that incredibly difficult to believe." She had stopped smiling the moment I started describing what I had found in the core of the Nirvana. How I had ran back into Heavenly Host, got the Ever After stones, and found Shinozaki. She seemed to be listening intently, but I could only figure that out from her posture. I hadn't looked her in the eye since I came here.

"Believe it or not that's what happened. I'm not saying anything just to make me look good." I put my hands on my hips and keep my eyes on her left shoulder. Just talking about it makes me feel sick. I'm getting a slight headache just from the memory.

"That's not what I meant." She pinches her chin between thumb and forefinger in thought. "The Nirvana is a dimension close to the world after death, simply losing your soul within it is enough to erase your existence in this world." She frowns. "Contacting it directly would kill a normal person instantaneously. Of course their existence would be wiped from our world as well." She leans forward onto her desk resting her chin on the back of her hands. "As a survivor of Heavenly Host you don't quite qualify as a 'normal' human being. That may be why you have survived but at the very least I would have expected you to be missing an arm or a leg."

"You said so yourself though, it's not like I got out of there scot-free." Niwa sighs and closes her eye.

"You don't seem to understand you situation at all do you? The Nirvana isn't just a static object. If you were there with me you should have seen it, moving, writhing, pulsing. The Nirvana itself is, ironically, alive. It even has a degree of awareness." Her eyes open and I quickly look to the side. "Even with its conscious suppressed it still has the capacity to defend itself. Only a person of either the right lineage or significant spiritual power could hope to overcome that." She leans back into her chair, this time her hands rest along the arm rest.

"Then how was it sealed then, if it's strong enough to protect itself why didn't it just kill me?" Niwa lips curve into a smile. "I remember very little due to her existence disappearing, but from what I do remember the awareness within the Nirvana was put to sleep. Without that it wouldn't be able to preemptively protective itself, but much like a person's reflexes protect the body from harm, the Nirvana should have some 'reflex' to protect itself. You yourself told me what state you found her in. That was the result of it protecting itself."

I didn't check myself after I had swallowed it but I remember feeling pain, but when I woke up though I didn't have any wounds or even scars. Shinozaki's wounds were treated by the book. Did it treat my wounds as well?

"It seems you may have some idea of what happened, would you care to share it?" I almost look back up to her but stop myself. In here information is power, there's no point letting her steal it from my head with her hypnotism.

"The book, it healed her. It might have done the same to me." Niwa frowns.

"That would be highly unlikely, the Black Book, the Book of Shadows is not obliged to protect you. You are not its master. You aren't even of the Shinozaki blood line." She holds her chin between her thumb and index finger again. "It wouldn't treat you out of charity either it doesn't fit its reason for existence."

"'Reason for existence'? Wasn't it made to store all the knowledge of the witches or something like that?" That's what Niwa told us in the beginning, Mist also said something like that as well.

"That's why it was made, not why it exists." I palm my forehead, I was never great in school but this conversation is seriously testing me. "The Book of Shadows' has its own will and its own "reason for existing" separate to its function."

"So what is it then, if it's not just some magic book what does it want? What does that have to do with any of this?!" Niwa sighs again and leans back into her chair crossing her arms.

"It matters because you are not supposed to be alive. Even taking into consideration you enhanced spiritual power from surviving Heavenly Host, you Kishinuma Yoshiki should not have survived consuming, or even directly touching the Nirvana. Therefore something or someone kept you alive, and unharmed." She looks up and I don't dodge her eyes in time and the purple gaze nails me to the ground. "What matters is why you were left alive." She looks away from me and I can move again. I quickly shake myself and glare at the wall next to me.

"If you're worried about me using hypnosis on you don't worry, trying to go back that far in your memories would be almost impossible while you're awake." I keep on glaring at the wall, I was careless and I don't trust her.

"The best I can think of is that either the book kept you alive so you could carry her to the real world, or the Nirvana allowed itself to be eaten."

Allowed itself? "Why, would it do that?" I turn back towards her, but avoid her gaze.

"Who knows, perhaps it chose to be eaten by you to prevent itself from being eaten by a Shinozaki." She shrugs a little. "The Shinozaki's have long been the guardians of that book, and its contents. Their bloodline allows them a small amount of control over it. By letting you consume it, it could prevent itself from being eaten by her."

I feel a chill run down my back. "So what, is it going to come bursting out of me like some horror movie?"

Niwa chuckles lightly, covering her mouth with her left hand. "It wouldn't surprise me, in the event that it does, please leave behind any information you haven't told me. If you don't I'll be forced to call your spirit back and take it from your soul directly."

My fists tighten. "I wouldn't worry about it at the moment though, Mr. Kishinuma. If you were possessed by the Nirvana, or even harboring an evil spirit, I would be able to sense it. This building also has the facilities to remove most possessions. I would have to charge you for it though."

"tch..., I can't get along with you after all." I glare at the wall.

"No, but this is a business talk, not a friendly chat. Regardless, this information should cover the cost of lending you that old folder. But you still have the interest to take into account."

"What?! I thought you just wanted to know what happened after you guys left!" Niwa's Mona Lisa smile returned. "Of course I wanted to know that, but you spent so long getting back to me that I had no choice but to increase your debt with the agreed upon rate." Agreed upon rate? What is she talking about?

"Here, the contract, it even has your seal on it." She pulls a piece of paper out from one of the drawers on her desk and dangles it in front of her, like you would a cat by the scruff of its neck.

"'Information Exchange Agreement'? I never...!" the form in front of me was stamped with my family seal as well as my family's home address. Phone numbers, liability partners, the rate she was talking about was set as 3% per year. My original debt had been set at ￥250,000. I had about ￥5,000 to spare per month back when I had a job, if I paid monthly I'd be free in 5 years. However, there was an additional clause. "Any loss of contact or failure to meet payments will triple the debt? There's no way this is legal!"

"If you want to debate its validity I'm perfectly happy to introduce you to our lawyers." She sets the contract on the desk. "Although with only \5,000 it would be pretty hard to find a good one, or even prevent yours from being bribed." Did she hypnotize me while I was distracted?! "By the way, I haven't hypnotized you or anything. My men found your bankbook while looking for you and I had them send me a photo of every page. I also contacted the Izakaya you worked at. They didn't have an employee with your name." Dammit, this person has no sense of privacy whatsoever, also with me having no job I guess I wouldn't have been able to pay it anyways.

"I'm willing to return the debt back to its original amount if you could tell me a couple things." She leans forward again onto her desk. "Why did you leave your house yesterday?"

I grit my teeth, "What's it to you?" I can't say where I went, although if she's asking then she probably didn't have me followed back then.

"It matters because of the state your house was left in. I had my men record the room when they got there. I even know what page the folder was turned to when you left it. You learned something that made you agitated, what I want to know is the reason for your actions." Crap, does she know who Shinozaki is? The page I was looking at was about Shinozaki Hinoe, even the newspaper article didn't have her name on it because she was a minor.

"If you saw the page then you should know why I got pissed." Niwa closes her eyes.

"I can imagine, it's not a pleasant event. Did you know Shinozaki Hinoe?"

I'm hemmed in, I can't lie and say I knew her, if I try to bluff it and look her in the eye she could hypnotize me. If I say I don't then it narrows down the number of people on that page to one.

"No, I didn't." If I lied and she had sensed it she might have tried something more sinister. She has the home ground advantage here.

"I see" Niwa opens her eyes. "There was only one other person mentioned there. Her sister, it makes sense. She would be the same age as us. It would also explain why I couldn't find her name anywhere."

Couldn't find her name? Is this because of her erased existence?

"What do you mean you couldn't find her name anywhere?" I ask.

"I couldn't find it anywhere. No records of her exist anywhere. She was only mentioned in that one newspaper. No birth certificate, no hospital records, nothing. The most worrying part about this is that I didn't even think that strange, until now."

What? Shinozaki's mother said she took her to a lot of different doctors, and she doesn't have a birth certificate either?

"Then... why just that newspaper then?" I step forwards. "If everything else's been wiped clean why was only that left?"

"There are two possibilities." Niwa lifts up her right hand and raises two fingers. "One, it was a coincidence, she just happened to be able to be noticeable, similar to you her existence isn't completely erased, she just has far less time to be noticeable than you."

She lowers her middle finger. "The other is that something or someone is hiding her, and left that bit of information on purpose." She looks up at me, I shouldn't be looking at her directly, but I meet her gaze again.

"Did she have it, the Book of Shadows." I don't feel her using hypnosis on me, but I can't move. The book I left behind in that place. Was it hiding her all this time? Then why did it let that event happen?

"Mr. Kishinuma, did she have the book?" Niwa asks again, she's standing up and looking me in the eye. I quickly look away. "Yeah, she did." I hear Niwa sigh and return to her chair. "When you came back, did you take it with you?"

"No, I left it behind, but when I saw her, it was sitting on her lap." Niwa nods. "Then I guess it's probably that book's doing. It's the only item in this world with enough power to do something like this." She pinches her chin in thought again. "The book did recognizer her as its master. Perhaps this is its method of protecting her." Protecting her? If it was trying to do that then why did that happen? It doesn't make sense.

"You're wondering, why then, did it allow Shinozaki Hinoe to be killed, right?" She sits back, arms crossed in front of her again. "I don't know why either, although I can dig up the relevant data. It's only about two and a half months since then, I could reopen my investigation of it."

"What, are you suddenly doing things for charity all of a sudden?" Niwa shakes her head.

"No, this isn't for you at all. Rather as an information broker having something hidden from me for so long is rather aggravating." She picks up the contract she first showed me and tears it in two. "You've fulfilled my request so I can reset your debt back to the original sum. However, do you have an idea for how you'll find the funding for it?"

I grimace, if Niwa said my old work place didn't even remember me then I can't go back there. Also if I'm less noticeable due to the Nirvana I might just be forgotten or not paid.

"It seems that you don't, I suppose I can assist you there as well." Niwa smile like a fox, I get chills down my back. "Even though I'm vice president of this company there are times when I cannot rely on my subordinates." She gets up and stares out the window. "At times I need a more mobile and less noticeable individual." She turns back towards me. "Would you consider working under me?"

"What would that mean?" I ask. Niwa chuckles lightly. "Not much, I would simply ask you to do certain favors for me. Looking into places finding individuals, almost like a private investigator." She walks out from behind the desk and towards me. "I won't have you tailed or traced, so you don't have to worry about me finding her through you." She stretches out her hand. "I don't have my sister's ability, neither her genius. So I have to cheat, lie, deceive, and sometimes, rely on other people. As a fellow survivor of Heavenly Host, will you work with me? So nothing like that ever happens again."

I look between her hand and her face. I didn't expect that last bit from her, maybe she really has had a change of heart. I scratch my head.

"Give me a couple of days to think on it. I can't just decide on a whim, and I still don't trust you." Niwa retract her hand, she doesn't seem sad or frown. Merely closes her eyes, nods, and turns around.

"I understand, I can give you a few days to make your decision. In fact that will give me enough time to draw up your contract." She sits down behind her desk again and starts looking through the paperwork on her desk. I guess I've been given permission to leave.

"Didn't you want to know who she was?" I ask, shoving my left hand into my pocket. Niwa continues shuffling through her paperwork while she answers me.

"Indeed I would but if she's being hidden from me this strongly I have to be wary of why she was hidden from me. Also I'm not so thankless to try and exploit her, she saved my life, more than once."

"You remember that much do you?" Niwa looks up.

"I can't remember much about her, but what I do remember of her, I treasure. I owe her a great debt, and as a business woman I make sure to remember my debts."

"I guess that makes the two of us." I turn around and walk out.

...

...

...

I got back home in the early hours of the morning, at this rate I'm going to collapse from exhaustion. Collapsing face first onto the bed I sigh.

I've been moving non-stop trying to find Shinozaki, then trying to figure out what happened to her. I haven't thought about what I'm going to have to do from now on. If I've been erased then I guess I can't go to school anymore. Compulsory education ends at middle school so I'm not obliged to go to school by law. I know though that the odds of me getting any job bigger than a part-time post is pretty hard for people who only graduated high school. Although I somehow haven't been kicked out of this apartment if I don't pay the rent I'll probably be kicked out, if I'm not kicked out for being here illegally. It might be that the landlord just hasn't checked this room, maybe there isn't anyone supposed to be living here. Crap, even though I'm exhausted ever since Niwa showed me that contract and brought up the word job I can't stop thinking about it.

I roll over and stare at the ceiling. My problems don't end there either. Sachi is still possessing Shinozaki. First and foremost I have to deal with her first.

* * *

**A/****N:** Sick again, if anyone thinks that the amount of money charged to Yoshiki is small it will still take about 5 years to pay it off at ￥5,000 per month.


	21. New Life - Chapter 2 - Life is hard

**Yoshiki's Room – Real World Yoshiki**

I woke up late due to having to deal with Niwa pretty much all night and some of the morning. I don't know what she was doing still at the company that late. Today's a weekday as well. Paulownia Academy was open so she should have school today as well. Maybe that's why her hair was going white. Come to think of it Kuon-sensei also had white hair. Was it over work that did that, or was it inherited? I guess it's not really my problem.

I checked around my house to see if Niwa had actually had anything taken from my apartment. My bankbook was still there and I'd been carrying my wallet with me so I hadn't lost any money. The bills inside the wallet were useless though, I don't think people accept bloody notes. Luckily I'd only been carrying about two thousand yen with me. I really hoped the landlord wouldn't be checking on me anytime soon, I had paid this month's rent but I didn't have next months. I had no idea what to do for gas, water, or electricity bills. My next payment was later this month so I had about a week to get some cash for it. "Dammit, I wish I at least turned the lights off when I ran out. *(Sigh) I guess it can't be helped now."

Food wise I didn't have much in my fridge. Miki was the one who did the grocery shopping. I guess I can't rely on her anymore. I hadn't thought about my family at all. I'd started living separately from then ever since I had that fight with my dad. Miki was the only one who would come see me from time to time. I wonder whether they would remember me if I showed up. Shinozaki's family remembered her. That might just be the book though for all I know. I can't rely on them regardless and never wanted to anyways.

I change my clothes, I had thought about throwing away the cargo pants I'd gotten from the refugee camp but I'm already low enough on money already. I can't afford to throw anything away at the moment. Putting both of them in the wash basket to take care of them later, I took a shower first before putting on a black T-shirt and olive pants. I could have started looking for a job on my desktop but since I was already in dire straits it was cheaper to go to an employment agency.

I stepped out of the house and began walking into town.

...

...

...

I'd forgotten how tough it was to get a job, especially when you can't give certain details. Not having finished high school or being in education at all also didn't help. The recent ruckus with the Entity Walls definitely didn't help either. A lot of places weren't recruiting or at the very least weren't recruiting teenagers. There were a surprising number of jobs opening up for "spiritualists", I guess with all the crazy stuff happening this month there's probably a boom going on at the moment. Perfect Life Promotion Company was making quite a bit of money from all of this apparently. They acted as a consultancy agency to other companies giving advice on spiritual matters. From what I heard it seemed that most of their time was spent verifying which "spiritual" businesses were legitimate and which were fake. They also continued to sell spiritual goods such as power stones and holy water for cheap prices in easily accessible places such as convenience or department stores. Most of this I either overheard from other people's conversations at the employment agency some of it from one of the clerks there.

"I don't think you would be able to apply for that company." She had said with a plastered smile. "They don't offer any part time jobs there and there are quite a lot of applicants for positions there." I simply nodded and asked for some other places to work at, possibly another izakaya, although that was only because I knew how to work there. I could have taken a job at any time in the day to be honest but old habits are hard to break.

"*(Sigh) If I can't even apply for one getting one is going to be even harder." I was sat down on a park bench looking at the empty swings and slides. In the middle of a working day there's nobody here. I would have expected a few kids to be playing here but I suppose the events earlier this month had people scared.

I lean back and look up at the sky, Niwa's offer was looking more and more tempting by the minute, I don't know what the pay would be like and I bet I'd get into all sorts of trouble working under her but even just as a temporary thing I needed a job.

I'd asked for a few days to think about it though, things didn't look good but it wasn't impossible. Maybe tomorrow something would open up.

Guuuuuuuuurrrrrrgllllllllleeeeee

I hadn't eaten anything since being picked up by Niwa's men. They stopped by a convenience store on the way to the company. They got a couple of rice balls and a bottle of barley tea. Sighing again I get up and start heading to the nearest convenience store.

...

...

...

Finishing off a microwave bento I had heated at the convenience store I returned to the employment agency for the rest of the day looking for a job. The clerk I talked to earlier didn't recognize me. On the plus side since they couldn't remember me I could resubmit my forms with a few doctored details. I wasn't hopeful though. I guess I saw my eroded existence in action there. The clerk who told me to give up trying to apply to PL didn't recognize me at all, even ended up giving me the exact same comment when I asked about it again. It was slightly creepy like listening to a broken tape recorder looping over the exact same bit of dialogue.

Leaving the agency I started walking home. I wonder how Niwa was able to remember me at all to be honest. Frankly if she forgot my debt then it would help a lot, maybe that's why she remembered me. Saenoki Naho did say she was stingy with money...?

Where did that thought come from, why did I think that? The first time I met Niwa Aiko was after we had gotten out of Heavenly Host. That means Saenoki Naho wouldn't have talked about her to me, there was no reason for her to... So why did I remember that she said that?

_"__Anyways, I'm not going to go along with this!"_

_"Daaaaaa~! I'm tired. I'm not putting up with this anymore, I've had it with babysitting this brat!"_

"Hurgh! Ugh! Kuuuhh~." My head started pounding I got weird flashes of things, was that Heavenly Host? It looked like it but the atmosphere was completely different. It didn't feel dark, cold, lonely, threatening or any of the usual feeling I'd get when I was there. What is this? Am I going insane from stress or something? I lean against a telephone pole to catch my breath.

"Dammit, what was that?"

I get up, it's about time school ends I push myself off the telephone pole and continue walking towards home.

...

...

...

As I approached my apartment I saw someone standing on the second floor in front of my apartment. I could see they had a pony tail and they seemed to be holding something in front of them.

"! No, way!" I ran forward and dart up the stairs. Turning into the corridor that runs along our apartments I startle the person who was standing in front of my door.

"Oh!" She jumps a little and then looks at me quizzically, brown ponytail swaying.

"Miki..." My little sister's standing in front of my apartment, holding a bag of groceries which she used to do whenever she visited.

"Um, I'm sorry but... who are you?" Miki's brown eyes look at me quizzically. My heart skips a beat.

"Oh, um, sorry. You just... happened to look like someone I know. Sorry." I stammer out an excuse, so I guess nobody really remembers me after all. My knees feel weak.

"That's alright, but who are you?" Miki looks me right in the eye.

"Oh, me? Uh, I'm... Yoshiki. Kishinuma Yoshiki..." I didn't have time to think up a name, I ended up just saying my real one. Dammit, this situation is getting worse by the moment. I hope this eroded existence thing means I can't get a criminal record.

"Kishinuma? Oh, do you live here?" She points do the name besides my door. I look at it and then nod.

"Y... Yeah I live here, sorry I surprised you, so why are you here?" Why is Miki here, she used to come by to visit me after I left to live on my own, if she doesn't remember me then why is she here.

"Oh, um, well..." She fidgets a little. "I walk by here whenever I get sad or lonely. It makes me feel a little bit better. One time when I decided to explore a bit I noticed the name plate. So I was wondering if it was someone related." She looks to the side away from the building out towards the road. "I know it's a little weird but... um, I just wanted to meet whoever lived here a little bit."

"Oh, right." I scratch my head. It's a little weird but I can understand a little bit of it. If you saw someone with the same family name as you it's natural to get a little bit curious. Was it some fragment of memory that brought her here? I didn't really do anything brotherly that I can remember, really it was just Miki looking after me and worrying about my health most of the time.

"Well, um as a greeting gift, here!" She holds out the groceries towards me.

"Eh, what? Wait, don't you need these for something?" She looks to the side sheepishly and sticks out her tongue a little.

"I went shopping for food, but when I phoned home mom told me that the fridge was already full so we don't really have any space to put it." She turns back and then holds it out again. "It's not much but please take it. You don't look like you've been eating properly so these should help!"

"Wha... Hey, what gives you that idea, and aren't you being a bit too friendly?" I put my hands on my hips and look down on her. She just smiles and holds out the groceries again.

"Just a hunch, plus, we have the same family name so I guess we're related in some way." She walks over and takes my hand and makes me hold the groceries. "You know the saying right? 'Blood is thicker than water' family should be able to be say anything to each other, no matter what." She steps back and smiles again. "Plus now I know you're definitely not eating properly!" She flaps the receipt from the convenience store earlier.

"! Hey! Really, you're just completely fearless aren't you?" Miki was always like this, she'd let herself into my apartment even though I told her she didn't have to. The first time she even picked the lock to get in. I walk towards the door groceries in hand and take out the key and open it.

"Thanks for these, now go home, it's going to be late." I turn around to wave her off but she's not there.

"Woooow so this is what it's like inside." ! I flip around. She'd snuck around me and was already walking around my apartment. I palm my face first before going in.

"Really, what would you do if I was a bad guy?" I set the groceries near the fridge and open it.

"I'd scream at the top of my lungs, there are still people living next doors so. Anyways you don't feel like a bad guy, even if you've dyed your hair." She peers over my shoulder as I start putting things away in the fridge. "Uwaa~ there really is nothing in here."

"*(Sigh) none of your business." I finish packing away the groceries and get up.

"So, what are you going to do now?" She looks up at me. I pause usually I'd be getting ready for work or something or doing homework. Now since I'm not in school or employment, I don't really have anything to do. These past few days I've just been running around chasing after Shinozaki so I didn't really think about how I'd use my time.

"Yoshiki-san... are you perhaps... a NEET?" Miki has her hands behind her back and her feet close together as she peeks at me beneath her fringe. "! Wha-What makes you say that?" She's spot on to be honest, I don't have a job and I'm not in school. Pretty much dictionary definition of a NEET.

"You're not in a school uniform even though it's a weekday and you just remained silent when I asked you what you're going to do now." She fidgets a little, hands still behind her back.

"I've... been busy with some other things and... well, I guess I haven't finished that either..." Shinozaki, I found her but now I need to help her again. I also need to get my life in order as well. Shinozaki has her family to protect her. She doesn't need me for now. I have to figure out whether Niwa is trustworthy or not. She said she has the facilities to remove possessions when she told me I wasn't possessed. If I can figure out whether I can trust her or not I can take Shinozaki to her. I guess if that's the case taking the job from Niwa means I can both figure her out and get a job. Two birds with one stone, it'll probably be dangerous as hell though. I never wanted to go through an experience like Heavenly Host again. If I work for Niwa, I'll probably be put into situations like that, but if it's for Shinozaki it's worth it.

"Yoshiki-san?" Miki is peering into my face. I guess I spaced out a bit while thinking. I take my hand away from my head, I had a habit of scratching my head while I was thinking.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something. You're right, I guess I'm a NEET for now but I won't let that last long." Miki frowns a little and stares into my eyes for a bit before turning around.

"Well I guess even among family people have their secrets. Do you know how to cook Yoshiki-san?" She continues to wander around my room looking at various things.

"Um, a little bit..." Actually whenever Miki came over she was the one who did the cooking. I never bothered to learn since I was fine with cafeteria food and the odd bento box from the convenience store.

"Doesn't look like it, hold on I'll call my parents to tell them I'll be late and I'll show you!" She flips out a cellphone and starts calling someone.

I sigh, Miki always was a little forceful like this. I guess she also felt a little responsible for what happened between me and dad. I turn back to the kitchen counter. She's calling our parents right now. Parents that won't even remember me. That making up between me and dad she wanted can't happen anymore. It's not like he's dead or anything but I can't talk to him or mom anymore. I was never on good terms with either of them. Even though I never talked to them for years now, I didn't think about the fact that I could never talk to them anymore. I guess it's alright though, they never really like me and I didn't get along with them. It's all the better now, or at least nothing changed.

"Done! Well then Yoshiki-san what would you like to have today?" Miki pops up beside me at the counter. "Anything is fine, just make something that's easy for you." I turn back to where she was and then hear the fridge door open. As always she's already gone from beside me and is rummaging through the fridge.

"Well, how does curry and rice sound?" She pops up with a couple of potatoes in one hand some carrots in the other.

"Sure, sounds great what should I do?" She looks at me skeptically.

"Can I leave you to set the rice cooker?"

"Hey, I'm not that stupid."

She chuckles, "Sorry, sorry, I just teased you a little bit. After you set the rice cooker set up the boiling water then you can help me peel the vegetables."

"Sure, leave it to me."

That night I had the best meal I had in a long time.

**? - Grave of Maltuva ?**

Tssssss krrrrrr tssssss krrrrr

The sound of a ventilator pumping air repeats, the only sound in the dark room. An uneven shape is on an operating table in the center of the room. Numerous black rubber tubes cross each other before flowing through the meat, connecting organs underneath flesh and bone to a variety of packs and machines filled with liquids. Occasionally they vibrate as the contents are injected through them and into their target. The figure on the table's limbs are pitch black, some have begun to crumble. The right thumb is long gone, the index finger has recently collapsed into dust. The remaining three fingers do not move, silently waiting their turn. The left hand still has all its digits and the blackness only extends halfway up the forearm unlike the right which has gone past the elbow. The right leg is completely missing, the end is flat and blackened as if it had been cut off and then cauterized. The left looks as if it has been dropped in acid. Black meat has collapsed off of the bone attached at some points by strings of dark sinew. The foot has fallen off and lies in pieces on the floor. The head remains largely intact only obscured by the mass of tubes that enter it from the left eye socket. A ventilator attaches to a slim white neck forcing air through the throat and into the lungs.

Click creeaaaaaaaak

The sound of the door opening interrupts the ventilators mechanical breathing. Two individuals walk in, both wear scrubs with surgical masks and caps. The dark of the room is briefly split before returning to its original stats as the door closes behind them.

"So we managed to reclaim her did we?" A female voice, haughty and arrogant demands an answer from the other.

"Yes, Magari was forced to abandon her when we stormed her estate. We found her submerged in a tank of holy water in the basement." A male voice answers, calmly and clinically.

"Was the darkening as pronounced as it is now?" One of them gestures to the left leg.

"Her mind had already succumbed to it long before we got there. The holy water served as both a sedative to the mind and preservative of the body. Nonetheless the outer extremities are unnecessary for our purposes."

"A shame, we had high hopes for her." One of them leans over the body and inspects the limbs and body.

"Will the darkening proceed any further?" The female voice demands.

"We have managed to stop it but the outer extremities could not be saved. We will remove all of them to prevent the darkening from spreading as well as to prevent infection from necrosis in a week's time." The other remains standing in between the door and the table the figure lies upon.

"Good, with the Book of Shadows lost again we will require every resource we can acquire. Use her as you need, however, she is not disposable. People with her level of divinity do not exist. Ensure she survives, no matter what." After finishing her inspection of the figure both depart the room.

The figure remains there on the table unmoving. Blond hair flows downwards over the pillow and the table. The right blue eye stares vacantly at the ceiling, and then closes.

* * *

**A/N:** I did not expect this chapter to be finished so quickly, I had imagined I'd need a lot more time to do it but I guess since most of this is world building it was written pretty easily. If anyone recognizes any characters in this chapter and any quotes from a certain game, yes Blood Drive does clarify that the events that happened in that game, even the wrong ends, are all cannon. I wasn't that surprised to be honest when the reveal came, there were a couple of clues before that, I thought those were cameos to be honest but in the end they pretty much went all out and said, "Yes that game is cannon and here is proof."

We'll be seeing some people from a variety of schools in this story and Satoshi and co. will reappear later on as relevant to the plot not just side characters or as interlude chapters. Miki will also take up an important role. Since there wasn't much to go on I pretty much wrote what came to mind at a whim but then that sort of blossomed into a character profile. It is pretty much my speculation and imagination that made that profile as well as why Yoshiki was disowned by his parents.

Finally, I have a massive favor to ask anyone reading my fic. There is an Ex-Chapter I need to continue writing. It's in the game from which the character on the operating table is from. I have spent pretty much an entire day looking for a video or transcript of it and I haven't been able to find it. I know it's important because of the synopsis I read but I want to use quotes and also get mannerisms and character details as well as timelines from that Ex-Chap. I think there was only one Ex-Chap for the game I mentioned. Its title was "Those were our graves" or 死線流し _Shisen Nagashi _ in Japanese. If someone can either send me a link to an LP or make an LP of them playing the chapter and put it on YouTube or send me a link I would be very grateful. Also I don't have a PsP so I can't play the game myself to read the Ex-Chap.

Addendum: It seems I wasn't obvious enough so here's another thing, the Ex-Chap and game I am referring to in the above is NOT Corpse Party Blood Drive.


	22. New Life - Chapter 3 - Fight

**Yoshiki's Room - Real World Yoshiki**

I woke up at about 6:00AM. Since I was trying not to use any electricity I went to sleep soon after I walked Miki home. I walked her most of the way there. Not to her house. It would have looked bad if she had called saying she was going to come back late and then came home with some guy they didn't know. I don't know why she trusted me so much but it was nice being able to see her again. I ended up just listening to her talk about random things while we ate. I didn't ask her about anything and she didn't pry into my business. I guess she didn't say anything because of the way I reacted when she called me a NEET, even if it's sort of true for the moment.

Come to think of it I only stayed in school because Shinozaki told me to. After I became friends with Satoshi it was because of them I went to school. I never really thought about what I would do after it. My grades probably wouldn't have gotten me into university, at least not a good one, and I didn't really feel like going. I had my job at the Izakaya, it wasn't great but it was a job.

I guess though now that I've thought about it I only really have one option now. Even if it's just for the moment, I've got to work for Niwa. It's only been a day though since she offered it to me and besides walking to her office I didn't have a way of calling her back. The voice mail she left on my phone didn't have a call back number and of course I didn't have her mobile number.

"Really, having nothing to do is pretty boring." I'd just lain in bed after I woke up. With no job or school I was pretty much stuck doing nothing. I could go visit Shinozaki but this early in the morning would probably cause problems for her parents. I guess I could walk about and try to find out about what happened since we got back from the Nirvana. The refugee camp I had been taken to had been cleared out. I guess everyone either went home or was taken to the hospital for better treatment. The guard not noticing me back then must have also been because of the Nirvana I ate, but who was he yelling at back then? The world I live in isn't the same one I left when I went into Heavenly Host, especially not after the Entity Walls bursting up all over the place. That day's been started to be called the day of darkness in media. I saw it a couple times in the large TV boards and on the cover of some of the newspapers.

The general consensus of the more mainstream media such as newspapers and TV seemed to think that the event from that day was that an investigation was still underway. It felt like saying it enough times would make the problem disappear. However, most people seemed to believe that it was occult related. Protective charms against spirits, holy water, power stones. I saw them on sale everywhere, in department stores, convenience stores, in stands in the street. Having had to use them in Heavenly Host from time to time I guess they had some use. But I have the feeling most people are being scammed when they buy them. Heavenly Host and the Nirvana, those were rare situations. In your everyday life I don't think you'd need to use them, but at the same time you never know when they'd come in handy. Just look at what happened to us. Shinozaki just wanted to give Suzumoto a good farewell memory, and in the end it cost us and this world dearly.

I get up out of bed, even if there's nothing for me to do staying here is not only boring but depressing. Might as well walk outside to clear my head, maybe visit Shinozaki later today. I changed into a navy blue shirt and brown pants, heated up the left over curry in the pot, and after eating breakfast I stepped out of the house.

...

...

...

This early in the morning there's virtually nothing going on, I see the odd high schooler or office worker with a long commute walking towards the train station. The only things open are fast food restaurants and convenience stores. Walking down the main street, in the valley between office buildings and department stores I passed by a few people and some cars. They had a direction and goal but I was just walking randomly. I had my cell phone and wallet. I considered just walking up to PL's building but this early in the morning it probably wasn't open.

"Out of the way!" *(shove)!

! ! ! What the hell?! A guy wearing a grey hoody slammed into me, almost knocking me off my feet, and ran into an alley way.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" I yell after him but he's already disappeared around a corner. I rub my head and then feel something wet on my left shoulder.

"? ? ? What the... ?!" I touched it and when I looked at my hand it was red. I quickly pat my shoulder and move it around to see if I was hurt. I don't feel any pain or bleeding, I guess the blood must be from that guy. Looking closely I see droplets of red leading into the alley.

"... Creepy." I start to turn back home to change when I hear a rustling sound. I look up. I see a flash of blond hair at the top of the building.

"! ! ! Was that Magari?" Was she chasing that guy? I look back into the alley. I have no idea what's going on. Most of me still wants to go home and just change my shirt. There's no point sticking my neck into something like this. But if Magari's mixed up in it then I have to check it out. I don't know if she's an ally or an enemy, she said she was no longer part of that strange cult thing but since she knows about Shinozaki if she ends up telling them something... I can't risk that. Also she's one of the few people who remembers both me and Shinozaki, there must be a reason she still has her memories but nobody else does.

"Dammit." I'm not some thrill seeker. I don't go out of my way to start fights and having to experience something like Heavenly Host was something I could definitely have lived without. But this is important, I start running into the alley following the trail of red dots.

The alley was dark, especially for the morning. Buildings on either side shut out the light. I followed the trail. It kept on going turning around corners deeper and deeper in between office buildings and the odd almost derelict apartment building. Finally I got to a clearing. It looked like the front of an old apartment building, a square lot in front of an old building.

*(whoosh) *(THUNK)

"GAH!" My head! What the hell was that?!

"Who's this, one of Magari's people?" I guess I was hit from behind, my body feels numb all over.

"H-he's just some random guy *(pant) I ran into on my way here."

"Crap and I thought we got Magari for one moment." I feel a sharp prod in my side, I try to look up.

"Wh-who the fuck are you?" I manage to get out, my head is still ringing and I feel dizzy. I try to get up but I feel a sharp kick to my stomach.

"UGH!" I collapse on my side and curl up from the blow.

"Shit, so where's Magari? I though you said she was following you." A guy with a metal bat in one hand is standing over me. The guy who ran into me on the street is behind him bent over and breathing deeply.

"I swear she was, that crazy bitch's been chasing me for a day now." Magari's been chasing after these guys? Crap, I don't have time to think about this. I've got get up and run.

I manage to stand up and try to lurch back the way I came. I look around. From where I was on the ground I could only see the two guys who were in front of me. Guys dressed in the same grey hoody pop out from behind garbage bins, out of the windows of the building, and from other alleys. About 18 in total, I guess they had planned to ambush Magari with all these people. I see bats, pipes, a couple of knives. One guy standing at the top of the stairs that lead to the building is even carrying a hand gun.

I stumble from the dizziness and lean against one of the buildings that make up the square.

"Well at the moment he's just dead weight might as well get rid of him." The one with the bat starts walking towards me. I can't dodge, standing is pretty much all I can do at the moment. He swings the bat back as if he's trying to hit a home run, except my head's the ball and I'm backed up against the wall.

He swings, I close my eyes.

*(whoosh) *(CRACK)

I hear the sound of something heavy being swung and a sickening crack. I feel something wet against my face. But it doesn't hurt, I hear the sound of rain drops splashing on the ground. I peek out of squinted lids. The guy's head is blood red, no it's covered in blood. A narrow metal wedge is emebeded in his head. His eyes are pointed in to different directions and are bulged out. The sound of rain I heard earlier continues. The metal wedge twitches and splits the head down the middle. With a sucking sound the separated halves fall off the blade of a scythe. In between the valley of meat and bone that used to be a man's head was the back of Mizuki Magari.

"Really, you shouldn't be sticking your head into things that don't concern you. Especially things that'll get you killed. Since I'm the one that has to kill you, it'd really help if you just kept out of these things." Her tone is the same as I'd expect from a high school girl, but her voice is freezing. Is she talking to me? The guys in the square freeze, she turns around. A cold fire burns in each ice blue orb above a doll like smile.

"Well since you did help me out by springing their ambush for me, I guess I can help you out a little bit." She twirls the massive scythe like a baton over her head. Blood flies off the blade drawing a broken circle of red around her as it whips around her.

"I only need one of you alive. Preferably the most important of you but you're all probably too unimportant to know much. So I'll just use you as some stress relief." The scythe stops and rests across her shoulders. The guy with the hand gun grabs it with both hands and fires but his arms are shaking so it misses her.

Like the sound of a starting pistol at a race the other guys around him break out of their stupor and charge her.

The first one to reach her swings the bat. She catches in her free left hand. I see the metal dent where it meets her fingers. She kicks him, knocking him back into the guys behind him. I hear a crack when her foot impacts his chest quickly followed by the loud thump of him smashing into 2 more guys. They smash into a garbage bin denting it, making it scream a metallic groan.

However, this opens up a clear line between her and the guy with the gun. He fires again but he misses. The hole opened in the group by Magari quickly closes.

She swings the scythe in front of her, parallel to the ground, forcing them back. She jumps forward and grabs one of them by the collar and throws him at the one at the top of the stairs before blurring forwards. The cement cracks where she stood and she becomes a blur of white, black, and pink with gold trailers. The guy with the gun dodges his companion but not the blur that flows up to where he is. He tries to turn to shoot but he barely has time to look at her before he's sent flying with a massive thump. He flies 4 meters into the wall next to him and about a floor up from where he was, almost like a baseball. He slams into it next to a window with another thump and crashes limply back down.

Magari stands where he was scythe once again on her right shoulder, the doll like smile is still there. "I guess 5 should probably be enough, one of them might have survived that. I bet the guy with the best toy was probably the most important." She lifts up the scythe, until now she had kept the blade pointed behind her, but with a twist of her wrist the blade now pointed forward. "The rest of you aren't needed. I don't really need to keep you alive anymore." She takes a step down from the top of the stairs. "I don't want to hunt any of you down again since that's tiring. So here's a promise, if you don't run away and stay here. I'll kill you nice and quickly. If you make me run after you though... well just try it and find out." Her tone hasn't changed at all, neither has the smile.

The guys around her are shaking in fear, if I was in their situation so would I. This square feels more like the cage of some massive predator than an ambush. I still can't move to well. It's not that I've been hurt badly. Magari's just moved so quickly. Only a couple of minutes have passed since I ran into this place. I simply haven't had time to recover.

She's reached the bottom of the stairs. Nobody in the area except her has moved. "Good job, now my turn to fulfill our promise."

*(WHUP) *(SPLURT) *(SPLASH)

Magari whipped her scythe in a circle. The people near her exploded, as if they'd been hit by a bomb. The force of the blade had smashed them apart almost instantaneously. The ones behind them were shredded, as if by a mass of knives. Red spurted out from cuts that suddenly appeared across their bodies. For a few seconds the only thing I could hear was the wet slap of dead meat hitting the ground and the spurt of blood vacating mutilated corpses. The mass of red, it almost looked like I was back in Heavenly Host, except it was bright. Sun light poured in from above.

I thought it before but there's no way Magari's just an ordinary person. Back in Heavenly Host, at the pool, she cut apart that monster that was chasing us in an instant. Her thin frame doesn't show where she gets any of that power from. However, trying to stop her attacks would be like trying to stop a freight train with your bare hands. I swallow nervously. I've already seen enough dead bodies to not be unnerved by the sight of them, but seeing 14 people just obliterated like that...

Magari rests her scythe on her shoulder again and puts her free hand on her hip.

"So, what should I do with you?" She looks at me and smiles that doll like smile again.

It's broad daylight but nobody's come to investigate the noises here. Either the buildings here are abandoned or Magari set something up before coming here. If that's the case calling for help isn't going to work. Last time I was able to gain some distance on her and then escape into a public area by getting her scythe stuck on the door. I got caught afterwards but by then it seemed she'd lost interest in me. If that's the case I just have to survive until she gets bored. I wonder if this is what a stuffed animal feels like when given to a toddler. Scratch that, this situation is more like a chew toy being given to a dog.

"Oh, has the cat got your tongue? You can worship me freely for the moment, I'm in a good mood. Also, I just saved your life just now. Maybe you can start by groveling to me."

"As if!" I burst out and her smile quickly turns into a frown. They say honesty is a virtue. But I don't see anything great about this situation. She takes a step forward.

"Didn't you just hear me say, 'I just saved your life'. That means you owe me, in fact this is the second time your life's been in my hands." The scythe rises off her shoulder. "If you don't want it I don't have any problems collecting you know?"

This is bad, she's pissed and from what I saw earlier she could cut me down in a second. Even if there's about 5 meters between us that scythe shortens that distance between us to 3.5, on top of that from what I saw earlier she didn't even need to hit me with that thing to hurt me. She might as well have the blade pressed up against my throat right now.

"These guys weren't any fun. It's only been a couple of days but you've got a different look on your face." She points the scythe at me like a sword. "Let's see whether leaving you alive was worth it."

I can't fight her barehanded, that's suicide. I need to get some distance. If I can get into the alleyways it should stop her from swinging that thing around. There are lots of twists and turns for it to get snagged on.

I turn and run towards the alley I came out of.

_A whooshing noise comes from my left and suddenly I'm falling. I slam into the ground hard. Suddenly my left leg erupts in pain. I can't feel anything beneath my thigh from the pain. I hear a regular spurting noise come from my left leg. I curl up to see why my leg hurts._

_There's nothing there, just the occasional jet of blood spurting out of my thigh. I scream but I can still hear the click clack of heels leisurely approaching me._

_I feel a kick hit me in the chest knocking me on my back. My eyes close from the pain. When they open they catch the scythe blade falling towards me just in time before it..._

I stop mid step and jump. I hear the scraping scream of metal on stone. I land on my hands and roll forwards with the jump, anything to get away from her. I stop and look up.

Magari stands a few meters away from where I had been. A line has been carved along the wall that was behind me. She's holding onto the scythe with both hands as if it were bouquet of flowers.

I can't run away she's too fast, she won't let me either. Even if the alley I came out of is right behind me I can't escape from this arena. The only reason I'm alive is because she's playing with me. If I piss her off or make her serious, I'll die instantly. But I can't just stand here, if I need to fight I need a weapon. The gun! Back then she went for him as soon as she could, that means that she's at the very least afraid of it. If I can get it maybe I can keep her from rushing me.

I turn and run to whether the guy hit the wall. It had to be there!

_Suddenly I'm flying with a massive pain in my stomach. Like I'd been hit by a car. My back smashes into something hard and I bounce off it but I hear the sound of metal embedding itself into cement and I stop. I look up, Magari's eyes stare into mine before I can't hold my head up anymore. As my head falls to my chest I see the blade of the weapon sticking through me and into the wall..._

I dive forwards onto the ground. It's still covered in blood and bits of the group that was here. My hands sink into somebody's intestines and I can smell blood, vomit, and feces. A whooshing sound passes above me and I catch a glimpse of Magari's leg next to me.

I scramble back onto my feet as quickly as possible. Behind me I hear the sound of metal impacting rock. The gun is right in front of me next to the guy who held it. His head was bleeding but I could see he was still breathing.

I pick up the gun.

_I turn around and point it at Magari. Her scyth was buried into the ground, where I had been. She pulls it out of the ground with the sound of scratching metal._

_"Don't move!" I yell, Magari simply turns towards me with a cold smile. She's holding the scythe in front of her with both hands again. She take a step closer, I don't think she's listening anymore. Her eyes burn into me, making me feel cold. I feel as if someone's slipped an ice cube down my back. I can't let her get any closer. I point the gun at her and fire._

_*(BANG)_

_"Ow!" The gun kicks back and almost slips out of my bloody hands. I'd never shot a gun before so there was no way I'd no how to hold or aim it. I don't even know where the shot hit. Magari leisurely twirls the freed scythe in one hand before leisurely walking towards me. I aim at her again and hold it tightly but my hands are shaking from fear and from the recoil of the gun earlier. I fire again._

_*(BANG)_

_Her right twin tails bursts open in the shape of a circle before falling back into its original shape. A few locks of hair fall out of it._

_"Shit!" I try to aim again and squeeze the trigger._

_*(Click)_

_No recoil no shock no sound. My mind goes blank. I look at my hands, still pointing the empty gun at her. When I look up Magari's cold blue eyes are all I see. I feel a hand grab my throat and lift me up. I drop the gun, I can't breathe. I try to scratch at the vice that holds me but I can't grip them. I feel weaker, weaker, weak..._

I can't shoot her. From this range I don't even know if I can hit her, and if I run out of bullets I won't have any way to fight her. Even with the gun I probably wouldn't be able to fight her, I've never seen them outside of movies or TV.

I take a step back and point the gun downwards.

Magari stops and frowns. "Where're you pointing that? Have you given up already?" She flourishes her scythe. "I'm still going to kill you even if you do."

"Stay back or I'll shoot him." I glare at her. The gun isn't pointing at her, it's pointed at the guy she smashed into the wall at the start. She came here looking for these guys and wanted one for information. She said that this guy was probably the most important. If I can't fight her head on I'll just have to fight dirty.

Magari blinks in surprise then starts laughing.

"Ha, hahahahaha, brillllllliant. You've got a better head on your shoulders than I thought." She doesn't come any closer but leans the scythe on her right shoulder. "But, do you have the resolve to pull the trigger?" She leans forwards slightly. "Can you pull that trigger?"

I've never killed anyone, not even in Heavenly Host. Even Mist although he lied, tricked, and hurt Shinozaki, I didn't kill him. I may have gotten into a couple of fights and picked up smoking but I've never done anything to get a criminal record. Can I kill this guy, even if it's to save myself? I look back up to Magari's grinning face. If I get killed by her right now Shinozaki will end up possessed by Sachi forever. If I die here I won't be able to see Miki again, even though she doesn't remember me. I can't be picky, I tighten my grip on the gun and back up to the guy's crumpled form. I grab his hair and push the barrel of the gun to his temple.

Magari nods and then leans the scythe against her shoulder and claps. "Well done, I didn't plan on leaving you alive. But if I don't get something from these guys I'll have wasted the past couple of days. Plus even though it's weak the one you're holding has an aura."

"What are you talking about?" I'm still pointing the gun at the guy's head.

"It has nothing to do with you. You just happened to get caught in a net meant for someone else. I guess including these guys that'll be the second time that's happened to you." She shrugs and starts walking towards the 3 men who were kicked into the garbage bin. Picking them up by the backs of their collar like a naughty cat she drags them over towards me.

"I won't bother collecting today, you've entertained me enough." She stops when I twist the gun into the guy's head. "Now give me him and I'll let you go." She holds the scythe in her right hand while holding onto the collars in her left.

I slowly back away from the last remaining one, still keeping the gun pointed at him. Magari smiles and walks over to him and adds his collar to the fistful of cloth she's holding.

"Until we meet again. Bye bye" Cheerily bidding goodbye she drags her victims across the ground and walks into an alley way. As soon as she disappears an elderly gentleman dressed like a butler walks into the square from where Magari exited.

"Good morning Mr. Kishinuma I am the butler of the Mistress, please exit from the way you came and leave behind anything you found here. We wish to eliminate all the evidence as quickly as possible. We are dealing with a secret society after all." He bows lightly with the greeting and then gestures to the alley I came out of while he talks.

"Wait, what's going on? Who are you guys?" I yell. "My name is Mizuki Wald, please leave behind the weapon you are carrying." His calm voice answers only one of my questions, but his stern glare tells me what would happen if I don't do as he says.

"Fine." I drop the gun. It clatters to the floor and I begin to walk towards the alley I came from. As I pass by the butler he holds out a white towel.

"For your hands and forehead, Mr. Kishinuma." I have blood on my hands and some coming from my head. I take it. "...Thanks." I mumble

...

...

...

Getting out of the alleys and back onto the main street didn't take any time at all. I ditched the towel in a random garbage can on the way out. I'd wiped away the blood on my hands and the bleeding from my head seemed to have stopped. It's only been an hour since I went inside. The morning rush of office workers and high school students is in full sway. I look up to the tops of the building to see if Magari is somewhere up there but see nothing but blue sky.

* * *

**A/N:** Ugh, not satisified by the end of this chapter but if I delay any longer I won't be able to put anything up for ages. Uni starting up again and I'm busy as all hell. This is not how I imagined how busy I would be. Still not going go to give up but don't expect updates or writing at the speed I previously used to keep. I think I'm going to take a 2-3 week hiatus on writing since I'm really busy but also to review my notes and figure out how to do the next portions of the plot. Also since I'm so busy I think I've forgotten a lot of my planning. Thankfully I noted it all down precisely for that reason so nothing is lost. Just have to go read my notes to continue writing.


	23. New Life - Chapter 4 - Confession

**Yoshiki's Room – Real World Yoshiki**

I went home once after getting out of the alleyways. A quick shower and another change of clothes later I was still stuck with nothing left to do, but I'm not relaxed. My fight with Magari and the fact that I had run into people from a secret society showed me how dangerous this world currently was. I never even thought a fight like that could take place in broad daylight. A gun was fired right in the middle of the city but there wasn't even a police officer on the street I came out onto.

I'm worried about Shinozaki. Getting home took some time. It's after the morning rush about 9:00. Most students have already gone to school. If they haven't they either massively overslept or never planned to go in the first place. The me before I met Shinozaki probably fell into the latter category most of the time. After moving out and going to Kisaragi I only went to get the bare minimum of days to graduate. There wasn't a subject I liked, a teacher who was fun, not even friends worth hanging out with. Home wasn't much better either. Only one I got along with was Miki. Dad was pretty much disappointed in me from the start. Our last fight ended up with a black eye and a bloody nose on me. This apartment was set up for me by mom, I paid the rent though, she only sorted out the paperwork and that was to get me out of the house than to find me a place to live.

After moving out I was pretty much all alone. I didn't have much free time with work, especially since at the beginning I didn't have any savings. So I never made friends. The other delinquents tried to get me in their groups just because I bleached my hair. At first I didn't bother fighting them. That would have made me a real delinquent. Most of the time I simply avoided them, if they tried to talk to me I'd make some random excuse and run off. Some of them thought that was me being a coward and tried to turn me into their gofer. After kicking their asses in one go they didn't bother to do that again. Tsubota set his eyes on me soon after.

I'd started smoking before Kisaragi actually. One of the people I used to hang out with in junior high had some. That day I was irritated. After I showed those guys not to mess with me I wound up in the same routine. Some asshole would want to challenge me either to avenge his underling or make himself look better, and it'd end up in a fight. I didn't like it. Part of me going to Kisaragi was to get away from it all but here I was stuck in the same problem. Tsubota kept being on my case after that as well. Most of the other punks were afraid of him. He carried around that bamboo sword for a reason. I didn't see any difference between those guys and him though, and I treated him the same way. If he tried to talk with me or say anything I'd just apologize and duck out as quick as possible. Cornered in the bathroom stall like that though meant I couldn't just walk out.

At the time what he said also made sense, I had no reason to go to school other than that's what I'd done until then. I didn't have anyone or anything to go there for. Knocking Tsubota out would be just a goodbye souvenir on top of it.

Shinozaki changed that. At first I just thought she was a weird girl, crying like that all of a sudden. But her words changed something in me.

_"__Getting strung along by that no-good teacher, and getting expelled... aren't you ashamed about such a fate? Don't play his game, whatever he does, and stay in school. No matter what! Really... *(sniff)"_

I didn't like losing, that's what got me into the life I have now. But Shinozaki turned that around. After that I stayed in school, paid attention in class. I didn't turn into a study freak or a genius overnight. I just got up on time and ignored Tsubota even more. I gave up smoking too. When the usual guys got me cornered one afternoon I didn't fight back. That was the time I first met Satoshi. He's easily scared but he ran in to stop them. He almost got beat up like I was, but his classmates called the teacher before they could hurt him. He helped me to the nurse's office and walked me home.

For a few weeks he came over to eat lunch with me, even though we were in different classes, and he walked with me to work for a while. I met Yuka on those trips since he went home with her. It was his way of protecting me. If somebody like me got jumped by a bunch of thugs nobody would bat an eyelid. 'It's just some delinquents duking it out.' is what most of them would think. If they attacked a normal kid, or worse, a little girl everyone around them would try to help them.

I don't know if Satoshi thought or knew about that or simply liked the chats we had on our way home. I never bothered to ask, but that was the first real friend I got at Kisaragi.

After I met Satoshi school became a lot easier. At first it was just Shinozaki's words that made me change my attitude. But after I met Satoshi I actually wanted to go to school. That's why I could never confront him about Shinozaki. I owe both of them too much. Even if I can't forgive him for taking part in that love-comedy harem... thing...? What was that? Why did I think that? I... UGH?!

A headache, I hold my head in one hand for a moment. I'm sitting on the bed while thinking about this. My head hurts, I feel like I'm forgetting something but the more I think about it the more my head hurts. My ears start ringing and my vision blurs and loses color.

I shake my head to clear it and the ringing stop and my eye gradually come into focus. This isn't the first time this has happened. Yesterday when I was looking for a job the same thing happened to me, and it's not only then. When I was running from Magari, both times, I saw myself dying. No, I felt it. At first I thought it was just my imagination. But with my last fight with her I'm not so sure. Each... vision... I felt that death. That cold weakening feeling, just thinking about it sends chills down my spine. Each time I acted immediately. I ducked or dodged her avoiding that death, and the last one. I saw the outcome of what would happen if I fought Magari head on. The best I can think of is this is something to do with the Nirvana. Between the me now and the one before the second trip to Heavenly Host, that's the only thing that's changed. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it's kept me alive so far. Against Magari this is the only edge I have, it doesn't seem to work against non-lethal things though. Like when Magari grabbed me near the alley, or when Niwa used her hypnosis on me. Neither encounter triggered that weird vision. Also when Magari asked for me to let that guy go, normally when you have a hostage you don't want to release it. That guy was the only thing that stopped Magari from killing me. But I let her take him, even though I had nothing but her word that she wouldn't kill me. The only reason I released him was I didn't have that same feeling from all the other times in the fight.

I'm not telling anyone about this though. It's my only trump card at the moment. If Magri knew about it she might just try to disable me so I couldn't run, then kill me. I can't trust Niwa either. She might turn me into a guinea pig for some experiment or something.

*(sigh) "No point worrying about it now, might as well visit Shinozaki." My problems are my own and I'll deal with them by myself. I get up and walk out the door to Shinozaki's address.

...

...

...

*(ding dong) I pressed the doorbell button at the front gate but nobody answers. I push it again. The silence continues. The gate is open so I make my way to the door to knock.

I knock twice but there's no answer, the house is completely silent. I grab the door knob preparing to rattle it and it turns smoothly, it's unlocked. I swing open the door.

The hallway is lit up by the sunlight from the front door but since there are no windows in it it's still pretty dark.

"Excuse me, is anyone here?" I call out into the house, the silence rings in response. I take off my shoes and walk in. Shinozaki was in the room first on the right. Please be there!

I twist the knob and push the door open. As it swings open Shinozaki appears. She's still sat in the wheel chair her eyes are closed, as if sleeping. Her mouth is slightly open and her chest rises and falls gently. Her hands are still on top of the book on her lap. I quickly look around the room but see nobody else inside. I step into the room and peek behind the door. Nobody is there either.

The house is quiet, as if time has stopped. All I can here is the ringing of my ears from the silence, and Shinozaki's light breathing.

"I'm sorry."

I whip around, my heart's thumping quickly replaces the silence. Shinozaki's mother is behind me in the hallway.

"I couldn't answer the door earlier. I was a little occupied."

She smiles gently, hands folded in front of her. She's wearing that yellow cardigan again.

"N-no, I'm sorry for coming in, it's just..." I scratch my head. Shinozaki's mother, Asuka, just smiles.

"It's alright, it was my fault for leaving it open. Did you come to visit Ayumi?" She cocks her head slightly with the question.

"Yes, but why did you leave the door open? Aren't you worried at all?" Shinozaki can't move, why would you leave the door to your house open, especially if your daughter is like this?

Shinozaki's mother simply looks down at her feet before looking back up. "This house isn't as unprotected as you think. Ayato made sure of that. Also... you're the only one who would ever come visit Ayumi."

I look away, she's right. The only one who knows about Shinozaki in this world is me. Nobody else remembers, or couldn't remember her like how that clerk at the employment agency didn't remember my face. She mentioned that there was a seal on this room before. Could it be that Shinozaki's father set something up around this entire house?

"I'll leave you two together, if you want anything I'll be in the living room. It's the room across from Ayumi's old room." She turns to walk further down the hallway.

"Wait. Where's... Shinozaki's father?" Her father, he felt like he has a few screws loose but losing a daughter like that and knowing his other child was possessed. Not only that but what Sachi was trying to do... I guess for any parent that would be tough.

She turns back. "Ayato?" A painful smile crosses her face. "He's resting at the moment. The past few days have been... exhausting for him."

"Yeah, I guess..." I ball hands into fists. Is Sachi here in this room with me at the moment?

"He probably won't wake up until the evening. The ghost of that child is probably resting as well. Last night should be the end for this month." She rubs her right arm. "Ayumi could use some encouragement. It's hard on her as well."

It's hard on Shinozaki, what does she mean? "What's wrong with her? Is she hurt?"

Shinozaki's mother shakes her head. "It's a natural thing. Just some people are affected more than others. Ayumi's is just a bit heavier than others." Heavier, what is she talking about?

"Don't worry about it." Shinozaki's mother waves her hand as if to wave off the conversation. "Just stay by her for a bit and talk to her. I think she would like that. It doesn't matter what about. She's probably a bit lonely, sitting here all day."

Asuka turns and walks down the dark hallway. She left the door to the room open. I turn back to Shinozaki.

She's still sitting sleeping. I kneel down next to the wheelchair, down to her eye level.

"Shinozaki, can you hear me?" She doesn't respond. "Sorry I took so long. I... was looking for ways to help you..."

Would removing Sachi be enough to get Shinozaki out of this state? I don't know, but I can't let her possess Shinozaki any longer.

"I'm going to work with Niwa Aiko. You remember her? The one who got us mixed up in this mess in the first place. She doesn't remember us, but she seems interested you know?"

"_I can't remember much about her, but what I do remember of her, I treasure. I owe her a great debt, and as a business woman I make sure to remember my debts_."

"Yeah, she seemed grateful to you, even though she doesn't remember anything except your gender. I guess she's still got a human heart after all, right?"

Shinozaki's sleeping face seems peaceful. This close to her I can smell the scent of freshly washed clothes and shampoo. I guess her parents do take good care of her even though it looks like she hasn't moved an inch from this place. The pale green patient's gown she's wearing looks cold. I reach out to touch her hand.

She's warm, human body warmth is conveyed to me through the palm of my hand. My vision gets a little blurry.

"Don't worry. I'll get you out of there. Just this one time though. Don't go running off on your own to do something stupid, you got me?" I feel stupid for saying the last line. Shinozaki can't move anywhere. But I know her. Back in Heavenly Host even when she was hyperventilating, panicked, and weak she got up and demanded that we look for Yui-sensei. She's a lot braver than most people think she is. Who knows, maybe she's still fighting inside there, with Sachi. Trying to get back out, or trying to still protect everyone.

_"__Please stop it... please! Don't disappear on me, just like that!"_

Shinozaki, you didn't stop trying to save everyone, even when I selfishly asked you to save yourself. At the time I didn't want to lose you. There wasn't any resentment or anger. Just the emotion called sadness was all I felt.

"Don't worry. It's going to be alright. I promise."

I reach up and pat her on the head. Her hair is soft and smooth and it pushes back almost unnoticeably against my palm.

She said she liked that. It made her feel safe. I don't know if I can really do anything. Maybe I'm just getting mixed into something I can't handle. I was just a high schooler, not some spiritual medium or psychic. Shinozaki was the one who knew all about that stuff. But I won't give up, so Shinozaki. Sorry, but just wait for a bit. I'll protect you.

Shinozaki's breathing changes slightly. It becomes less deep, and her left eye opens up.

"! ! ! Shinozaki!"

Did she hear me? Is she waking up?

"... everyone..."

I faintly hear her whisper something.

"Shinozaki, did you wake up!"

I lean forward and look her in the eye grabbing her shoulders.

"...everyone, please be happy..."

Her gaze is blank, like when I first saw her. Her unfocused left eye and the faint whisper I heard lacked any sound of life.

"... goddammit..."

I swear. I had teared up a bit while I was talking to her, now I was openly crying. Drops fell from my eyes and stained the backs of Shinozaki's hands. I let go of her and dig out my handkerchief.

"...everyone, please be happy..."

She mumbles again. I wipe the back of her hands before I take care of my own tears.

"Yeah, they made it out you know? You did it."

I put away my handkerchief in my back pocket. Shinozaki continues to stare past me at the mirror.

"Let's meet them again, someday." I kneel down on one knee in front of her.

"Let's meet all of them, and we'll be friends with them again." Satoshi, Nakashima, Yuka. Everyone who went through that hell, maybe even Niwa as well.

Shinozaki doesn't reply, she merely sits and stares at the mirror. I look behind Shinozaki. There was a small round table with an antique looking globe on it and an equally ancient candle stand next to it.

This room isn't Shinozaki's I think her mother mentioned it was Hinoe's, her sister's room. I guess they both had similar tastes. Ancient looking books on the occult and various religious texts filled the book shelves and one was lying open on the table next to the globe.

It was dark and gloomy, almost as if someone had been in this room moving around, reading and doing things before suddenly disappearing. I know Shinozaki is in this room for protection, but... I want to take her out of here. I want her to smile and laugh. I just want her to look at me.

"Shinozaki, I never told you when I came to like you did I?"

Come to think of it I never even said I liked her. I never even confessed. It was never the right timing. Right after we got out of Heavenly Host... I couldn't just go out and confess to her. She felt responsible for the people who died there. She came to school and pretended to be normal, but as soon as she finished she disappeared off to somewhere. I guess she was researching about how to get our friends back.

"When we first met I just thought you were a weird girl. Crying all of a sudden for a guy you never met... but I was slightly happy about that. I felt for the first time in a long while that someone actually cared about me." That's why I'm in debt to her. She was the one who made me feel worth something.

"Thanks to you I stayed in school, and I met Satoshi. When we had to change classes for this year, I was surprised that we were in the same one. After that watching you work as the class president, making friends with the rest of the class. Those first few months I had were really fun."

"Until then I only heard about you through school rumors. 'The Ghost Story Class President' When I first heard that I was pretty surprised you know. Since I thought you'd be scared of that sort of stuff. I mean you cried over some random guy like me." I heard from Satoshi when he once complained about how people were making fun of him in his class. I wonder if he would react like he used to do to those stories, now that he's lived through them.

"You always came in early and tried to be helpful to everyone. You were the one who organized Suzumoto's farewell party as well. I kept on watching you take on any task or any request thinking, 'that's one strong girl'. Then one day you collapsed because of a fever. When I saw that I kicked myself. Of course you'd collapse. Nobody could do all that and still be fine." When she collapsed she didn't come to school for two days. I was on day duty with her during that time. Usually if you miss your day duty you have to take another shift somewhere else. I erased her name for the days she was supposed to be with me. I'd decided then that I'd try and help her out, in any way I could. Now I guess that's all I have right now. To protect Shinozaki, no matter what.

"... everyone, please be happy..."

But I don't regret it, Shinozaki doesn't deserve this. She's tried too hard, given too much. I won't let what she did go to waste. I won't let this be the end. Shinozaki, you don't deserve this, so I'll change it. No matter what.

"Shinozaki, you're strong, and kind to everyone. It doesn't matter who they are, you always tried to save them. You saved me, in more ways than one."

Because Shinozaki was there I was able to make friends. Because of her I remained in school. Thanks to her we saved the souls of our friends and sealed the Nirvana. I love Shinozaki, because that one time she cried for me, and made me feel as if I mattered. So even if no one else remembers her, if nobody else will help her. I will.

"... everyone..." Shinozaki continues to repeat those few words, almost like a prayer.

"Yeah, I'm sure they're happy." I answer her. "Let's go see them someday."

* * *

*(trrrrrr trrrrrr)

The cellphone within Mizuhara Satsuki's pocket rings

*(click) *(beep)

"Yes."

"... ... ... ... ... ..."

"Right now? But I'm still in school."

"... ... ..."

"! I understand, if Magari-sama wishes it..."

*(beep) *(click)

"What's wrong, Satsuki-chan?" Mochida Yuka asks her, Satsuki smiles quickly and stands up.

"Sorry, Yuka-chi, if the teacher asks tell her I had to go home 'cuz of my family."

"Ah, wait Satuski-chan!"

Satsuki half jogs out of the classroom and starts running out of the school. Once she leaves the campus the carefree smile and happy go lucky attitude gradually disappear. Instead a blank, vacant look takes its place and she continues running down the streets until she comes to a certain alley way. An old man dressed like a butler waits for her in front of it.

"The young lady has requested your assistance."

Satsuki doesn't reply. She simply walks past the old man and into the alley. The old man remains behind.

Deep in the alley a cracking sound is heard, the sound of snapping joints sounds in the square with no one to hear it.

"... sssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Ku..kkkkkkkkkKKKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR"

An inhuman scream, a high pitched roar, neither describe it entirely.

*(crack, snap, crunch, slurp, gulp)

*(squish, crack, squelch, gulp)

*(creak, snap, crack, crunch, gulp)

*(slurp, slurp, slurp, gulp)

...

...

...

3 hours later nothing remains in the square. The only signs of violence are those carved into the building, ground, and the dented garbage bin. The sound of cracking joints sounds again and is then replaced by heavy breathing.

The rustle of a plastic bag being opened and the feverish crunch of potato chips being eaten follows.

"You did well."

Mizuki Magari walks into view, behind her she drags a heavily beaten thug by the collar. Behind both of them the butler holds the remaining two captured felons. Satsuki glances at her quickly and drops the bag of potato chips to the ground. Trembling like a beaten dog she lowers her head and wrings her hands anxiously.

"This one isn't worth much so I'm going to use him as an example." Magari throws the one she's holding towards Satsuki. She flinches as the man's body lands at her feet.

"Hurry up, what these guys know isn't permanent. They might change locations or times. I need them to talk as quickly as possible."

Satsuki continues to wring her hands. The man on the ground stirs and looks up.

"... ha, haha. What's this Magari? I thought you were going to make an example of me, you bitch." He chokes out weakly through swollen lips.

"... I'm sorry." Satsuki apologizes. The man looks back to her.

"What are you apologizing... for... Hey, what's wrong with your eyes? Hey, what the... *(crack) WHAT THE FU- *(SNAP) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH *(CRACK) UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH HUH AHHHHHHH- *(SLAP) AGHHH, GET IT OFF, PLEASE! HE... *(SKRUNCH) *(splurt, splurt)."

"Now, tell me everything you'd think I'd like to know... and you don't have to die like that. Okay?" Magari winks an ice blue eye at the remaining two. The sound of chewing and swallowing continues behind her.

* * *

**A/N:** The time when Shinozaki didn't come to school for 2 days due to a cold is in Ex-chap 5 of Corpse Party Blood Covered. The day duty stuff isn't stated as such but is implied.

I figured that we should have a scene where Shinozaki and Yoshiki meet up (for real this time). I hope is was touching, if a little tragic. That was always the situation though. Also if any of you want to know what sort of situation the next chapter i.e. progress reports, and also if they want to read some future plot ideas, OR ALSO request scenes from me I do have a forum linked on my author page. Just click the name below the title and the link will be on the page it redirects you to.

I feel like a youtuber asking for favs and likes at the end of a video tbh, but reviews motivate me both to write this fic and in daily life as well. So leave an opinion, question, or critque.

Also I wanted the scene with Yoshiki and Ayumi to be longer but I simply ran out of ideas for that particular scene without going to the "next level" sort of situation and frankly I wanted to move on with the plot. There are action scenes I want to write, heart felt moments that need portraying, and moments of poignant awesomeness to be had.

Honestly I'm entertaining the idea of having a time skip simply so I can write the stuff I want in the future but I think that's cheating and also things are only as good as how long you wait for them (although sometimes waiting too long can bite you in the rear (Duke Nukem comes to mind)).

BTW, going along with my previous patterns it seems I do a sort of "interlude/Ex-chap" chapter every 4 or 5 chapters. Next one is going to be about Miki. This will be a nice break from the plot and give me some time to re-fresh so I can write stuff about people other than Yoshiki. Probably need to go back and re-do some of the chapter titles to match that. We've also come to the end of the 2nd arc I guess in my fic.

The first was all about getting out of the Nirvana

This one was all about setting the scenario of the world Yoshiki is in as well as

Also, with this chapter my fic has graduated from being a Novella into a Novel! *(PHWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE) sorry I'll put away the party whistle.

Yep an exiting time for me too, also if you don't enjoy my fic leave a review as well, I write this for fun for myself but also for you guys as well. This may sound repetitive but thanks again for your support!


	24. Ex-Chapter 3 - Emotional Madeleines

**Kishinuma Family Residence – Real World, Kishinuma Miki**

"Miki, why were you there?" Mother asks sadly.

"..." I remain silent.

"Just tell us, we won't be angry." Her voice is gentle bat sad, Father is sitting next to her and remains silent.

We're sat across from each other at the dinner table, me on one side, my parents on the other. This is probably what you would call a family meeting.

I had picked the lock of the old school building. There was one near our school that had been abandoned apparently. I wanted to see if I could open an old lever tumbler lock.

I am Kishinuma Miki, 15 years old. My hobbies are reading mystery novels and cooking. My future dream is to become a private detective, like Sherlock Holmes. I wanted to try out a lock picking technique that I read about in one of my books. It was just for fun. I just wanted to try it out.

After I had opened the door I wanted to explore the inside of the building a little bit. It was old and worn, and was being used by the local delinquents as a hide out. I walked in on them smoking in the old building. And they grabbed me.

I wasn't hurt though. A part of the ceiling collapsed after I screamed. It hit the guy who had my arm on the shoulder and he dropped his cigarette. They had managed to salvage an old kerosene heater and re-fill it. I knocked it over when I struggled and the cigarette landed right in it.

Miraculously, nobody died. I escaped from the building while the delinquents panicked. A teacher spotted and caught me. The police and fire department were called. The fire was contained and most of the boys who were there were caught.

The school didn't expel anyone, all of them were 'transferred' to other schools far away. I didn't give a statement. I was too scared.

After that for a couple of weeks my parents walked or drove me to school, even though they both had jobs to go to.

"Miki..." Mother says again.

_"Are you trying to drag your sister in with you!"_

_"Shut up old man, she has nothing to do with this!"_

_"I don't care whether you trash your life, but don't take your sister down with you."_

_"You're one to talk, you weren't exactly a model student either!"_

_*(CRACK)_

_"UGH" *(THUMP)_

_"Oni-chan!" "Dear!"_

_"..."_

_"Get out of here."_

_"Father?!"_

_"I said get out of here. You aren't my son. I never had one."_

_"... fine."_

"Miki... we won't be angry, so just talk to us."

"... I'm sorry Mother, Father. I... I..."

* * *

My name is Kishinuma Miki. I'm the only child to two parents who met when they were in high school. They graduated but had me soon after. Both my parents managed to make it through university, even while raising me. Father's a general manager in some company, I don't know he specifics. Mother works too, she's a sales woman at the local electronics shop.

I'm an only child but whenever I see one of my friends with their siblings... I get a little jealous.

Sometimes I day dream, about having an older brother. But it's weird. Sometimes my imagination is very strange. Sometimes my day dreams aren't happy at all.

I hug myself briefly. I'm still recovering from that scare I had at the old building of our school. Even if all the people involved got sent to different prefectures. It's still scary.

_"Miki!"_

_"Oni-chan!"_

_"Get away from her you bastards!"_

_*(CRASH)_

_"Ow! __The hell you doing?!"_

_"Hey, Kishinuma you know this chick?"_

_"She's my sister you assholes!"_

_"Oh, my bad my bad, I didn't know."_

_"You think that makes this alright?!"_

_"He said it was his bad, we were just playing around a bit."_

_"Playing... around? You bastards... do you even know what the fuck you were doing?"_

_"Hey I said I'm sorry, jeez- If I knew it was your sister I wouldn't have touched her."_

_"! ! ! You BASTARD!"_

_*(SMACK)_

_*(FWOOOSH)_

_"Oh shit it's on fire!"_

_"What are we going to do?!"_

_"Miki, come on let's go!"_

...

...

...

The entire time I was there. I felt as if someone was supposed to save me.

When I was with my parents, for some reason... even though I was the only one there. I heard someone else's voice.

"... *(sigh) I wonder if I'm going crazy... huh?"

I was walking home after school. I was supposed to go straight home, but my feet had taken me somewhere I'd never gone before. But it felt strangely familiar.

"Where is this?"

There wasn't much there. A few houses, a public bath, and a convenience store. I kept on walking, I've never been here, but I know the way.

I arrive in front of a small apartment building, only two stories high.

"..." I simply look up to the second floor from the street.

_"Oni-chan, are you alright on your own?"_

_"I'm alright. It happens to everyone someday. I just flew the nest early."_

_"I don't know, maybe if we go back to father we can..."_

_"No, this is better. Even if it's just for now."_

"? I'm... crying?" A tear had fallen down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away with my handkerchief.

I wonder why, standing here makes me feel nervous, but at the same time a little happy. Like I'll meet someone I haven't met in a long time.

The gate to the apartment complex was open. It looks like the lock broke from old age. I push it and it creaks open.

I've never been here, I've never seen this building, but for some reason... I'm not scared. The stairs are on the far right side of the building, metal rusting slightly but sturdy looking. My feet make it ring lightly with every step while my heart rings my ears.

I walk past the doors to each room, looking at the name plates as I go by.

"! Kishinuma?" One name plate has the same family name as me. My chest hurts. I feel nervous, scared, but...

*(ding dong!)

I rang the door bell. This is pretty bad... What if someone completely random comes out? Should I just say I got the wrong name? But then who am I looking for in the first place? Should I just run? I've never actually done this prank where you ring someone's door bell and then run away. Oh no, Oh no! I can't think of anything to say! Um... uh... huh?

There's no sound from inside the room. I can't hear anyone making their way to the door or even walking around inside. I press the door bell again.

*(ding dong!)

Again, nothing.

"*(sigh-) Nobody's home. phew!" I feel slightly silly worrying about it so much. I look back at the door.

It still bothers me. Who lives here I wonder? Why do I want to meet them? I look back at the name plate.

"I guess I should go home." I leave the building. Really, I guess I'm just overly stressed. Even for me this was weird.

I take one last look at the building...

_"I'll be back again Oni-chan!"_

_"Alright, but you don't have to come so often."_

_"If I don't come you'll probably end up eating nothing but convenience store lunches and school meals. That's not healthy at all, you've got to have a balanced diet!"_

_"Okay, okay. Take care on your way home, call if you need anything."_

_"Yes. See you next week Oni-chan."_

"See you next week Oni-chan." I cover my mouth immediately with both hands. I can feel my face turning red from embarrassment.

Luckily nobody was around to hear that. I quickly turn around and start running home.

...

...

...

Lately, every time I'm tired or sad or just want to talk about something, I've been coming to this apartment. Every time I end up standing in front of that door. I tried the door bell a couple more times, but each time nobody replied. But it was strange, even though there was no one there as I stood in front of that door. I'd start to feel better. As if someone was listening to me. I didn't actually talk to the door. I'd just stand in front of it for an hour, and I'd start to feel better. I guess I was day dreaming during that time.

Today I'd stopped by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. It was going to be curry, but Mother apparently had some groceries delivered.

"*(sigh) She could have told me before she went to work. I guess she's busier than ever though."

The recent events with those weird pillars had everyone scared. I had been at home when it happened. Mother was home but Father was at work, he had taken some overtime. Luckily no one in my family was hurt.

But I couldn't visit the apartment for a while. They had turned the park nearby into a refugee camp and the area was patrolled by police officers and SDF members.

Today was the first time in a long while that I was able to come visit.

I don't ring the door bell anymore. Whoever used to live here is probably long gone.

Still, I would have liked to meet them. I wonder what they were like?

I take up my usual spot, leaning against the wall of the corridor of the second floor of the apartment complex. In front of the door with the name plate 'Kishinuma'. I have the groceries in front of me. I guess I'll have to hope they last out of the fridge for a day.

*(clang clang clang clang)

? ? ? Footsteps? Is someone coming up the stairs, it sounds more like they're running.

A high school boy with bleached hair runs out into the corridor from the stairs.

"Miki..."

_"Oni-chan."_

* * *

**? ? ? - ****DPAJO ****- ****o8E&10A+I05*110+III&1OO+097w1o7*105**

"Emotions are powerful things. They dictate our actions, color our memories, obscure our vision, and cloud our judgement. But, thanks to those same feelings you can find what you once lost, or never had in the first place..."

"I wonder if my emotions weren't strong enough... but it doesn't matter. A little bit more, just a little bit more."

"Wait for me. U9d&(E!-i'Y."

* * *

**A/N:** Well a short chapter this time around, didn't want to spend too much time on it, and I felt it was alright. It's only an Ex-chap I guess but feel free to tell me if the quality dropped. I did write this to sort of cool off so I could just write without thinking too much about things.

If it wasn't clear to anyone this is the story of what this world's Kishinuma Miki experienced without an older brother. Yoshiki is 17 and Miki sounded like she was either 16 or 15.

Yoshiki's parents got hooked up together when they were in high school and his dad ended up getting his mother pregnant before they graduated. This ruined both of their career's and got them expelled. Also Yoshiki's dad was sort of a semi-delinquent i.e. he dyed his hair like Yoshiki and got into fights often. His mother wasn't that great of a student either but certainly wasn't the worst in the world. A casual girl who wasn't scared of fights all that much and liked hanging out with Yoshiki's father.

Since Yoshiki was never born in this world they weren't expelled and his father has a stable, albeit an unfulfilling, job. Miki's mother also got a job since being a house wife didn't suit her at all and she doesn't know how to cook very well. Miki is pretty much self taught in that aspect. (In the world where Yoshiki was born neither parent had very good jobs, the reason for both of them working is partially due to the residual 'facts' still associated with the world where Yoshiki was born in.)

Miki experiences bits of these 'facts' on a day to day basis. She liked her brother, not the extent Yuka does hers but she does love him (as a brother of course).

The reason Yoshiki was kicked out of the home.

Essentially he got in with a bad crowd from day one due to his frank personality. He learned a bunch of stuff from them such as lock picking and how to pick pocket but never really did them himself. He did teach them to Miki though who had a fascination with private detectives. Although she actually practiced them on real things, Yoshiki's never actually picked a serious lock or stolen anything. For Miki it was just for fun, but when she broke into the old school building and went exploring she ended up meeting some of the delinquents that Yoshiki knew.

Yoshiki heard her scream while coming out from having a smoke and ran into the building. He knocked over the kerosene heater that was in the room when he punched the guy holding Miki down. After punching him again he knocked another guy's cigarette into the spilled kerosene and the fire started.

After this event the school did a slight cover up. Miki was scared to give a statement. Not of the guys who attacked her but about what other people would think about her if she said she had almost been raped i.e. the public eye/social implications of saying it.

Their parent's learned that their daughter may have been assaulted from the police and confronted them, Yoshiki covered for her though. Their father got really angry since he could already see his son making similar mistakes he did when he was in school, and he also got his sister who seemed to have a promising future mixed in with him as well.

Father and son had already fought a couple times already about this, but this was the final straw. Yoshiki's father punched him in the face and disowned him then and there.

After that Yoshiki got his own apartment and lived on his own. Miki came to visit him at first to apologize and to see if he was alright. Later on she dropped by to see if he was eating well or just to talk about things that happened at school she couldn't talk with anyone else. Yoshiki's frank truthful nature, which might rub some people the wrong way, was comforting to Miki. She could trust what he was saying because he didn't lie to her.

I didn't know if I could get that feeling through the narrative so I decided to pretty much just write my story planning here in the A/N. I don't plan to do this all the time. Pretty much just this once since I pretty much wrote this chapter in one day.

Next chapter might take a while to write. I need to get the flow going to start it and it's not catching at the moment. Another couple of weeks maybe.

The chapter title is actually a reference to Marcel Proust in a paper about involuntary memory. Serial Experiment Lain references the same paper as well.


	25. A Dead Factory (ADF) - Prelude - Satsuki

The time has come.

The pieces are set.

The bodies are here.

The celebration can begin.

_**1ST ARC: A DEAD FACTORY**_

**Corpse Party: Blood Drive EX CHAPTER 07 Satsuki's Heart (Translation(with some slight modificatons))  
**

(I don't have any memories when I was very young)

(I just, remember that my parents were kind)

At dark dusk, the unlit room was dim, with this even if someone was in the room, you wouldn't be able to see their face.

With melancholy feelings, I opened my mouth.

"Mother, I'm hungry."

Mother sat with her elbows on the table of our small kitchen, hunched over with her head held in her hands.

With my third request, she finally slowly stood up.

The house was empty.

Recently I've noticed my voice echoes in the rooms now.

Strangely, everyday a piece of furniture disappears. Yesterday was the toaster, the day before that the piano, and before that the chest of drawers.

Today is it... Father? I wonder where Father went?

"Mother"

Mother's shadow slowly, pitch black, reaches a hand towards me.

"Satsuki... I'm sorry..."

Even her is strangely dark. That's strange, is it because the light's don't turn on anymore? It has to be that.

*(click, click click)

"Mother, the light's don't turn on."

"Satsuki... I'm sorry..."

"? ? Huh?"

*(FWUP, CLANG)

Suddenly my vision, shakes violently, and everything slides away like shooting stars.

Lights flash in front of my eyes, the patterns on the ceiling rush by and disappear, I see the corner of the table appear and disappear, I see Mother's face for one moment.

Frying pans, a looooot of them fly towards me.

*(FWUP, CLANG, BANG, BANG, CLANG)

Huh...? we only have one frying pan in our house.

My face swells and hurts all over, I can't hear anything because of the ringing in my ears.

I wonder if my nose is dripping. I feel something wet coming from my nose and ears, it's cold.

"Satsuki!"

*(clanga langa lan)

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

See. When Mother's like this, if I'm patient for a few minutes, she hugs me dearly like her life depended on it.

That's why I love her. I love the frying pan.

"I'm sorry... this is all there is."

What Mother gave me, it was a bag of potato chips. It's not my favorite brand by that famous company, so it won't taste as good.

There are card board boxes full of them in our house, I'm the only one who eats them.

When I eat them Mother is happy.

I've made them my favorite food.

"Satsuki, in 3 days, you have a very important duty to do!"

"Duty? *(munch munch) What is it?"

"Be joyful!... Thanks to the peerless wisdom of the Arch Bishop you will be reborn. You'll become one rank higher compared to all other human beings!"

...

...

...

*(ding dong, dang dong, dang dong, ding, dong) The school bell rings

"Satsuki-nu! Satsuki-nu! Oissu-!"

"... oh. Mizuhara-san"

Mizuhara Harue, we've been in the same class since elementary school, came to talk to me.

I point a blank face, lacking in friendliness towards her.

"... What is it?"

"You really are gloomy as always! At least sometimes try to give a more energetic reply like 'Oissu-'."

"..."

"Oh well. Satsuki-nu, let's go to that theme park, this weekend deffo!"

"... I can't do this weekend, we have a meeting."

"... Rrrgggaaah! Really! Just leave that to your folks who're stuck in that religious stuff up to their necks. You want to go to riiiight?"

"...um"

"See, that's the face! ... I know your seeecret? Satsuki-nu, you love that pair of underwear you bought there, the one's with Mokkey on them."

"... I want to go, but..."

"Just ignore those stupid chores your parents make you do! Quit em! Quit em!

"... Pfff..."

This girl called Mizuhara. She's a strange one, anything she says is funny it's almost unfair.

I don't laugh very often, but even I get caught up by her and laugh.

"Really. If only kids could choose their parents! Satsuki-nu you've got to be more cheerful, it's healthier you know."

"You've got some breasts on your body, just use 'em right and you could lobotomize any boy. Purin Puru-n!"

"haha..."

That day, Mizuhara-san broke her jaw in a car accident, she couldn't laugh anymore.

After that she never came back to the school.

...

...

...

A girl with blond twin tails and ice blue eyes is in front of me. She says gently to me.

"So you're Satsuki-chan? I'm glad you could come..."

"Good girl. You're such a good girl. So young, and yet you understand the way of thing, and the value of 'self-sacrifice'. Fantastic."

I was taken to a, dark, arcane, dangerous looking place.

I was naked, only a thin plain black robe covered me, so I remember it was very cold.

"Ignorant of objective, unemotionally following the words of your parents... You must be a very, very good child."

This is deep inside the Maltuva order.

Scary looking machines and tools line the dim room, everyone wears black robes and hung onto every word the head said, as if they were imperial commands.

I couldn't think of anything... I just put a small smile on my face and looked blankly at a spot on the floor, with unfocussed eyes.

"Yes, Master Magari" My mother grovels at the girl's feet. "our child is truly obedient and pure and..."

"She volunteered herself forward," My Father joins my Mother at Master Magari's feet "'If it was for the other I would do anything' she said."

"Oh, really." Master Magari's voice is different from when she spoke to me, she sounds bored. "More importantly you two should just pay your tributes. How far overdue do you think you are?"

"Y, yes Master Magari..." My mother grovels further.

"Nekoma Satsuki, Dost thou accept thy fate, of thy own accord?"

I, happen to look at a corner in circular ritual room with the same blank smile, and jump in surprise.

"... *(gasp)"

In the corner there was a huge jar, like one you would see in science class with insects or snakes preserved inside them, and from it the blood covered head with rolled up eyes of Harue-san jutted out unceremoniously.

_"Just ignore those stupid chores your parents make you do! Quit em! Quit em!"_

Blood and saliva dripped from the split jaw of her miserable face.

"Nekoma Satsuki. How does it sound? The parent's of children who accept their fate, in return for their services, can often gain great position with in the order."

... ... ... ...

A moment of silence.

Words began to spill out from me like a dam had just broke, it felt like something was bursting out of chest, I had been killing my emotions with my blank expression.

"... I don't want to die, Magari... sama...!"

As my tear mixed words come from my mouth, my parents look at me with panicked expressions.

'What in the world is this brat saying' It was that sort of cold expression.

"This is an experiment to create a thaumaturgical body right?! I don't want that!"

"Good" After uttering that one word Magari bisects Satsuki's parents, in an instant.

Satsuki's parents were split in two at the midriff, like splitting bamboo, died releasing disgusting noises.

"Satsuki, your will is good, I'd say. Live your friend's, Mizuhara's, portion of life as well."

"... 'You' can live under my dominion. I'll keep you as a pet." Magari-sama takes a step towards me.

"I'll prepare some 'replacement' parents, soon."

The world goes dark...

I am...

"Well then, spiritual surgery, is in session." Magari-sama's bored voice plays with the last vowels of her sentence.

I am... Mizuhara Satsuki.

Today, just now... I was born.

**END**

* * *

**Mizuki Magari's Estate, Basement - 2 Days after escaping the Nirvana  
**

*(Creeeeeeeeaaakkkk, CLANG)

A door opens letting in the only light into the pitch black stone basement. The pool of light flows down the top half of the two flights of stairs that wind to the bottom, illuminating a small foot with an iron manacle around it.

*(click, clack, click, clack)

Heeled shoes ring the stones of each step as Magari descends into the darkness. The foot moves and the clink of metal chain rings back.

"Krrrrrrrrssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

A gurgling hiss follows. Magari reaches the bottom.

*(FWUP, clin li li li li li li li link, CLANG, THUMP)

The sound of someone jumping.

The musical rattle of chain against stone.

The sound of the last link catching on the massive iron pin tethering the foot to the floor.

The sound of a body hitting the ground

"SHWAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"

"Really, without the synapse you really are completely useless aren't you?"

"Kuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"

"Without the Maltuva repairing it is going to be hard and I don't want to leave my pet to be played around with by them either."

*(Fwup, Fwoosh) Magari twirls her scythe around her like a baton, one revolution on each side.

"Really, if you were only a little more obedient I wouldn't have to do this... but I guess I never taught you properly. I guess I can only rely on a 'collar' for so long."

"Hrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk"

"I should have made the chain shorter, I guess I was a little too kind giving you this much leg room."

*(click, clack)

*(FWUP, clin li li li li li li li li)

"KKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR"

*(CLANG) The sound of metal hitting bone.

*(THUMP)

"Kuh hack koff krrrr... kuh kah"

Bestial coughing sounds from the corner the thump came from. The chain rattles slightly with each expulsion of air.

"That form you're taking annoys me. Let's start with some easy tricks."

"kkkkkkkkkkksssssshhhhhhhhKKKIIIIIIIEEEE..."

*(FWUP, CLANG, THUMP)

"Kah, Koff, kaaaaaaaahhhhh"

"Really, it only took a broken neck to break the synapse. I guess simulated feelings of fear and pain can only last so long. I guess your taste of the real thing made you think you could bite the hand that feeds you."

*(click, clack)

"But that's alright... I'll just carve the real ones into you. The Grave's probably still panicking a bit right now so we can take this slowly."

*(FWUP, CLANG)

"KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

*(FWUP, SLAP)

"SKKREEEEEEEEEEEEE"

*(FWUP, CRACK)

"KKKIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH"

*(FWUP, CRUNCH... FWUP, SMACK... FWUP, THWACK... FWUP, GLOCK... FWUP, SPLAT... FWUP, WHACK... FWUP, THUMP... FWUP... ... ...)

...

...

...

**Mizuki Magari's Estate, Basement - Nekoma Satsuki**

"Uhhhh... nhhhh... huh? Where am I? ! ! ! OW, ugh, aaaaahhhh, uhhhhh."

Where is this? It's so dark. I hurt all over. It feels like I'm back with my first parents...

It feels a lot like when Mother swung the frying pan at me...

Mommy... I haven't remember her in a while... What happened to her? Every time after the frying pan, she'd cry and say she was sorry. That's why... I liked the frying pan, because always afterwards Mommy cared for me. Any other time... she didn't even look at me... Is Mommy here? I can't see you.

"... Mo... *(sniff)... uh... *(sniff, sniff)... Mommy?... Is that you?"

"Oh, you woke up." A woman's voice disinterested, bored, and ice cold. I know it... I heard it before... back when I was Nekoma Satsuki.

"Well, at least it learned to fear me. When it figured out it couldn't run away from me anymore I guess it tried to get me stop by using you."

"Magari... sama..." I know this person...

The person next in line to take over the Grave of Maltuva...

The person who my first parents took me to see...

The person who cut my first parents in two...

"Magari-sama! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

I get to my knees and grovel in front of her. My left arm and leg have no feeling and I can't move them but I do my best to apologize to her. I am hers, my clothes, my home, my parents, my body... my life are all hers. I am her pet. Her 'cherished' animal.

"Alright, alright, I don't need to train you, you're already well behaved enough already." Magari-sama sighs, she sounds irritated. I can only barely see the tips of her high heels from under my fringe.

"But... this might be a good timing to have you learn a new trick."

"... Eh?" I peek up wards Magari-sama has her left hand on her hip. Her right hand droops over the end of the scythe which she balances on her shoulder.

"It'll be annoying to have to deal with three of you in the same body, and you need the other one to keep under cover." Her right hand snakes downwards and grabs the handle of the Scythe. "I'll just have to get you to learn how to bring out 'it' at will." She takes a step forwards.

"... Magari-sama?" I can't see her face, the light from behind her casts her in shadow.

*(FWUP, CLANG, THUD)

"! ! ! UH, AH, UHH, uhhhhh" I'm on the ground, sideways. I feel something wet dripping across my forehead. I struggle to get up. I need to grovel before her. If I do that she usually just ignores me and walks away.

Most of the time I just go to school and when it finishes I go home, whenever Yuka-chi is free I play with her.

Only whenever Magari-sama wants to play she sends someone to pick me up.

I'm then taken to this basement, and then I lose consciousness.

Sometimes Magari-sama is here with me before I black out. On those times after I wake up I can see her walking up the stairs, her butler waiting for her with a towel and a drink.

Other times Magari-sama just watches from the top of the stairs.

On those times there are other people in here. People I've never seen before. Sometimes they're scared and shout at Magari-sama and me.

Sometimes they laugh and yell mean things at Magari-sama and me.

Sometimes they're angry. When they're angry sometimes they're angry at me, sometimes Magari-sama.

Sometimes... they're nice, they come up and pat me on the head, or hug me.

But it doesn't matter.

When Magari-sama isn't here with me, whenever I wake up, nobody is there anymore. The floor is covered in blood and there's blood on my face and chest.

But this time it's different. Magari-sama isn't ignoring me. I can tell she's looking right at me. I can feel a cold burning feeling from her eyes.

"Bring it out, Nekoma. Between you and Mizuhara, you're the one who's closest to it. After all, you created it. Also... I need Mizuhara to keep watch over Mochida Yuka."

*(FWUP, SMACK)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH, UUUURRRRRRRGGGGGG, Hurk, BLEEEEEEHHhhh *(Splat, drip, drip)" My stomach hurts. I threw up. The smell of my own vomit burns my nose as the acid burns my throat and mouth.

"*(Sigh) What a difficult pet I have, I guess this is going to take a while too. Don't worry, even if I break anything 'it' should be able to fix you. If you don't want to hurt anymore, then imbibe some of your fear into 'it'."

*(FWUP, SLAP)

"AAAAHHHH"

*(FWUP, CLANG)

"HIIIIIIIIIIII"

*(FWUP, SLAM)

"AH, AH, AH, AHHHHHHH"

*(FWUP, SMACK)

"Hah, hah, hah, hah"

*(FWUP, SNAAAAP)

"! ! !, AYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

"Hey! Don't just break like that! Ugh, really you're still better off with me you know? If the people of the Grave go their hands on you...*(Sigh) Geez, it bent waaaaay back, didn't it."

"Uh, uh, uhhhhh, uwwaaaaaaa, waaaaaaaa!"

"Oh it looks like we're getting a bit closer. That's it, more emotion! The more primordial the better!

*(FWUP, CRUNCH)

"! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Kuh, Kah, Koff, Krrrrrrrraaaaaaaahhh"

"But we're still not there yet, just...*(FWUP) a...*(FWUP) little...*(FWUP) bit...*(FWUP) more!"

"KAH, AHHhhhhHHH, KKKKARRRR, KAAAAAAAAAAA, KRRSAAAAAAAAAAAA, KSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAA*G$Hsy%3whY&Xtr1p%3SK%guj!%~?&YGo^#1sGjisKIREs5#%0sK473H#H#.K$5GiVe52fdf%^#TSU+ #=TG^Sk5tI#GR3

...

...

...

"Now, are you in control of it?"

"..."

"Good, this is much better than just the synapse, you can actually listen to orders. If I knew it would be this much better I would have trained you myself from the beginning!" Magari's bubbly voice rang in the dark basement. "I guess you really have to spend time with your pets to get them to listen to you!" Blood splattered the floors and some of the walls. Fresh patches contrasted dried brown stains that snaked to a drain in the back of the room.

"I guess your hungry after having to fix all the broken bits. Don't worry, I got just the thing. Wald." She calls her butler and his footsteps begin to ring the stairs followed by the shuffling of the figure, a cloth bag is covering the head, he pushes in front of him.

When they reach the bottom Magari grabs the top of the bag and yanks it off. Revealing a tear stained youth with pierced ears and nose. He's shaved his head and tattoos decorate his shoulders and arms.

"I'll leave him bound up and gagged since you're not in the best condition. Bon appetit!"

The clack of heals across stone rings until Magari reaches the top of the stairs. Wald places his hand on the young man's left hip.

*(CRACK)

"MMMMMMFFFFFF! Kuhhh." The young man collapses. Wald has cracked the left side of his pelvis. The pain prevents him from standing, let alone escaping. Wald ascends the steps and stands behind Magari.

"Uhhhhh, huff, huff, huff... hm? ? ! ! ! MMMMMM! MMMMMMMMMM! MMMMMMMMM..."

*(SLAP, K KKKKK KKKKKKKKKRUNCH)

"I guess the next lesson should be a dining course. But that can wait, it's only taken 2 days, and it's much better than the previous control method." Magari joyfully exclaims.

"Indeed, my lady." Wald affirms with his deep voice.

"Now, have you prepared for when the Grave of Maltuva will eventually attack us?"

"Indeed, my lady." Wald affirms again.

"Good, we don't want to give them anything, we'll move the rest tommo..."

*(tzzzzzzzztt)

"! They just cut through the barrier around the house! Tch! This is bad. Wald we're leaving, take as many servants with you and escape through the tunnel in the music room. I'll keep them distracted."

"Indeed, my lady." Wald bows and disappears down the corridor.

"Well, we'll see how well my training's gone. HAH! *(FWOOSH)" Magari swings her scythe horizontally aiming downwards, as if cutting the legs off of some enemy in front of her, the air in front of her bends.

*(WHUP, CLINK, clink, clink) The chain attached the manacle splits in two. The ends clatter against the stone.

"Come here, we need to buy Wald some time."

"... Yes... Magari-sama"

* * *

**A/N:** Well it is short, (well the part I made myself was 1800 words, the translation doubled that) but I finished writing this TODAY, by the way and reading through it, I was content. Hence although it was meant to be with the next chapter I decided to release it as a prologue, I hope this doesn't discourage anyone from reading... but if you went through both of Ayumi's torture scenes, the entire description of how the Nirvanafied Heavenly Host was collapsing... Then I guess this should be well within acceptable limits (I hope).

**(Translation(with some slight modificatons))** Yeah, about the 'slight modifications bit' I used to work a little bit as a translator for Doki, (Massive Tangent Incoming and Underlined) I quit mostly because my parents said that I should get paid for doing it and I personally didn't find the community much fun to talk too. Personal problems not anyone in the Doki community's fault. They're actually really nice for the most part. I just didn't want to feel restricted when interacting with people online, and when people there were getting queasy about a scene where people were getting crushed in a giant mortar. (I was also watching Elfen Lied, Higurashi, and other rather bloody anime) I decided that I wasn't going to have as much fun as I wanted to. so I left. Now why is this relevant? well I really hate modifying translations, that's not what I'm supposed to do. HOWEVER, this is the first time I've translated something between Media. The Ex-chapter I translated is an AUDIO VISUAL and VERBAL media. The fan fic is only VERBAL. So where the game doesn't include descriptions, such as tone of a person's voice, scene changes, or blacking out. I had to add those in. THOSE are the slight modifications I am talking about. I might have made some translation errors though, it is 2:00AM in the morning right now on a weekday so don't get annoyed at me. (If you do find any places my translation seems to be weird then please either review it or PM me.)

Anyways for anyone wondering about the time line, Yoshiki mentions in "Chapter 9 This World - Prelude - Reunion" that he arrived in the real world 1 week after the events of Corpse Party Blood Drive. So the events that occur here happen before Yoshiki got back but after Satoshi, Naomi, Yuka, and Aiko returned to the real world. Magari and Satsuki were both in the Nirvanified Heavenly Host. Magari was there to try and get the Book of Shadows from Ayumi. Satsuki was there because she followed Yuka in when Mist tricked her by saying Satoshi was inside Heavenly Host and needed Yuka's help.

Mist thought he killed Satsuki when he threw her down a flight of stairs and she breaks her neck similar to how Shinozaki Yoshie did. Satsuki returns the favor later on by biting Mist's head off after he steals the Book of Shadows from Ayumi. In between Satsuki being pushed down the stairs and Magari bringing her with her to the core of the Nirvana, where everyone waited for Ayumi to seal the core of the Nirvana back inside the Book of Shadows, something called a 'Synapse' broke meaning Satsuki couldn't be controlled by Magari anymore. This leads to a bad end where when Ayumi returns from sealing the Nirvana's core she finds Satsuki standing in a pool of blood with none of her friends there. Satsuki then proceeds to devour Ayumi.

I was never able to find what a 'synapse' was but chose to make my own version that fit in with my own rules of how things work in this fic. Essentially it forms a false connection between things and emotions. Sort of like Pavlovian learning or synesthesia. It associates the emotions of fear and pain with a person to force the individual with the synapse to obey the person the synapse is made for.


	26. ADF - Chapter 1 - Ground work

**Niwa Aiko's office – Perfect Life Promotion Agency Yoshiki**

"So, you've decided to work for me, Kishinuma-san?" Niwa Aiko is sitting at her desk, hands folded on her lap.

"Yeah, I don't have anywhere else to go anyways. Plus, this way I can keep an eye on you as well."

I was back in her office again. I'd spent the entirety of yesterday with Shinozaki, just keeping her company, kneeling in front of her. Her mother came in to give her lunch. She brought a bowl of rice porridge with her. I guess that's all Shinozaki can eat at the moment.

_"Will you try some too Kishinuma-kun?"_

_"Eh, oh... I'm fine..."_

_"Really, if you ask for a spoonful now you'd be able to have an indirect kiss with Ayumi right now."_

_"Wha?... Is that something you should really say about your daughter?"_

_"Sorry, I just wanted to tease you, a little." She chuckles lightly "I prepared some extra. You can eat lunch here that way."_

I ended up having some. It didn't taste bad. It was warm, flavored lightly with salt, and had finely chopped carrots and Chinese cabbage inside it. It didn't leave any strong after taste and was easy to swallow without being too watery.

_"The secret is the type of broth you use Kishinuma-kun. I prefer to use dried shiitake mushrooms myself."_

She had answered like that when I asked why it tasted so good. I had eaten after she had finished feeding Shinozaki. She blew on it to cool it before lightly spooning it into her mouth. She swallows reflexively apparently. It took her about an hour to feed her like that.

Her father never showed up in the end. Shinozaki's mother saw me off when it was time to leave.

_"Please visit her again, Kishinuma-kun." _She said as I was putting on my shoes. I said I would. She just smiled and bowed her head.

Niwa had left a voicemail on my home phone when I got back. She wanted to meet the next morning, so here I was.

"Good, here's your contract. Welcome to Perfect Life Promotion Agency Kishinuma-san." She picks up a sheet of paper and pushes it towards me across the desk. I walk over and pick it up.

"Employment Contract: Kishinuma, Yoshiki." Beneath is a ton of legal jargon that I can't understand.

"You can skip that Kishinuma-san, most of it shouldn't apply to you. The rest I'll turn a blind eye too." She says cheerfully.

"Oi, what happened to being a 'business woman'?" I raise an eyebrow. "I thought you were more professional than this."

"Business isn't about obeying or following the law, that's why we have lawyers." She leans back in her chair and crosses her arms in front of her with a smile. "As long as your costs are outweighed by the profits I'm not too fussy about it."

"... Really, I can't get along with you." I cross my arms in return and lean back. This person ticked me off from the start. Her way of thinking is cold, mechanical. There's no such thing as a fair fight with this person.

"So, it says here that I'm a 'private investigator'. What does that mean?" I wave the contract she gave me earlier in the air lightly.

"It says what it means Kishinuma-san." Niwa plays with a lock of hair with her left hand. "Your role is to collect information about events and places I wouldn't be able to send my 'normal' subordinates to investigate."

"Hey, wait. Doesn't that mean it's either illegal or really dangerous?!" Niwa calmly looks back at me, her violet eyes meet mine.

"Yes, that's exactly what it means. But it's not without some consideration to you." Her voice is calm and her gaze unwavering. Whatever she is saying is with absolute conviction. The voice she uses to speak now... it's not the usual light, sultry tone she uses, the one that sounds as if she's trying to convince you about something.

"You are a survivor of Heavenly Host, twice over. That is not something that comes about by chance." She continues to stare back at me with a serious expression. "You either have an innate ability to avoid fates that lead you to death, or you have an incredible survival instinct. Regardless that is not a skill most of my other subordinates have." Her eyes tighten a little, as if remembering a painful memory. "Not only that, but you have been exposed to real life and death situations. Most people rarely experience that. You can now act in those situations. Most of my subordinates have never had that." She closes her eyes fully and bows her head a little bit. "A normal person would freeze up, their thought processes would stall. That one instance of paralyzing fear they feel... that's the last thing they ever experience."

"Niwa?... Hey..." Her arms that were crossed in front of her have tightened around her. It looks as if she's hugging herself. She looks away from, to the side.

"I'm a prime example of this. I was careless with the information regarding Heavenly Host, and when I visited it myself I thought it would be easy to bend the school to my will." Niwa continues to hug herself. "In the end, my carelessness cost me two of my best friends. My hubris killed another with despair, and I nearly paid for it with my life."

Niwa's arms relax around her and she relaxes back into her original posture. "The truth is Kishinuma-san, it is very rare to be able to deal with situations like Heavenly Host. Even I, a person who studied evil spirits for a living, ended up almost dying there. What chance do you think most of my subordinates have?"

"..." She's got a point. Compared to other people I've experienced more horrifying things than they've ever lived through. Also, with these weird visions I'm getting, I definitely have a better chance than most of her other henchmen. But... I'm not exactly keen on going through life or death situations all the time.

"If you're going to be sending me into these situations, don't you have anything that would even the odds?" In Heavenly Host we sometimes found talismans, power stones, holy water, and other small occult items. They seemed to work on the ghosts there. If I could bring a couple along with me...

"I'm afraid I can't do that at the moment." Niwa shakes her head.

"Huh? Why? Your company makes these things and sells them everywhere!" I've seen packs with talismans in them, or vials of holy water with the PL brand on them all over the place, even in convenience stores.

"Two reasons." She lifts up two fingers. "Under most circumstances those items aren't powerful enough to protect you from the level of spirit I want you to investigate." Niwa calmly states.

"So, wait. You're selling defective products to everyone?!" I take a step forward. I always thought those cheap looking things wouldn't be much use.

"No they aren't defective just not meant to be used the way you want to use them." She doesn't even bat an eye lid to my accusation and stares back at me calmly.

"Those talismans are weak, but by selling them at very low prices we can saturate the area with a large amount of talismans." Niwa begins to explain. "The combined effect of that many talismans, all mass produced via the same methods and from the same materials acts as a combined 'barrier' against spirits."

"Then just give me a bunch of them." If each one is weak then I'll just use a lot of them, didn't say somebody say quantity has a quality of its own?

Niwa sighs lightly as if explaining something trivial. "In reality, it's a lot more complicated than that. It requires 'mass belief' and relies greatly on the current 'collective obsessive behavior' of the after effect from the Nirvana. To say concisely, if you used them on a spirit completely unrelated to the Nirvana it would be like firing a blank cartridge at them." Niwa glances off to the side, away from my confused expression. "If you wanted to have something you could use against an evil spirit you would need to make your own, the ones from temples or shrines can serve as good templates, but used on their own they are often too general to actually combat an evil spirit in its domain."

"Then teach me then, or tell me where I can learn how to make one." Niwa shakes her head again.

"That brings me to my second reason. I'm not very popular with the current board of directors. I've hired you as a freelance investigator, you're not actually affiliated with this company." Niwa frowns. "If I started teaching you anything about talisman creation or any of our spiritual products they could use that as an excuse to fire me. Breach of company secrets would be there excuse I guess." She turns back to me. "But don't worry. I don't plan to have you try to exorcise something. Just investigate the area and write up a report on what you find." She smiles devilishly at me. "If your report isn't up to my standards I'll simply take the memories from your mind."

"Tch." Don't joke with me, I'm not having her poke around in my head anymore. "Then what about your men? Are they all pretty much sitting ducks?"

She shrugs lightly. "What if they were, they aren't exactly your responsibility, are they?"

"!... You..." She just sits here in this building and sends out her guys without any form of protection?

Niwa shakes her head at my anger and sighs. "Don't worry about it Kishinuma-san, they are protected enough to do their job. But I cannot give you the same protection I give them. You and it are completely incompatible." The cold anger I felt melts slightly. I'd like to ask why but I'll probably get another answer I can't understand.

"Fine, I got it." I give up trying to rely on her. "So, what's my first job?"

"Finally, we get to the point." Niwa chuckles at my annoyed expression. "Well although I intend to use you for more dangerous investigations, it is your first day. So I decided to pick you a nice easy job."

She opens a drawer and begins flipping through the files inside.

"I had a hard time choosing. At first I was going to give you this job here." She hands me a folder labelled 'Ginosaji' "But the client was American. His Japanese was very muddled and hard to understand." She sighs. "Also the contents seemed a bit too ridiculous to try to investigate."

I open the folder, transcripts of what looks like a phone call are inside it. The latter part of the conversation seems to be the client yelling in English. "? ? ? What's a spoon got to do with anything?" The word comes up again and again.

"It looks ridiculously right, who honestly ever heard of an evil spirit that tries to beat you to death with a spoon?" Niwa sighs again. "I was originally going to send you because I didn't want to waste any of my usual subordinates investigating something so menial." Although I didn't need the last comment she's got a point. It sounds like a movie idea from a crap film studio.

"At first I suspected the evil spirit of some hardened convict due to the murder weapon, but since the spoon isn't sharpened and he says he's only been hit by it..." I've heard that some convicts sharpen spoons into stabbing weapons. I don't know if that's still true but that sounds a lot more lethal than being just hit by one.

"Anyways, I have another property I want you to investigate. This one is probably a more fitting job for you." she hands me a binder this time and takes the folder back.

"An estate?" A photo of broken ornate gates and what looks like a large mansion beyond a garden.

"Yes, don't worry it's been abandoned for about a week now, my subordinates have scouted it out for the last couple of days. Nobody has gone in or out of that place during that time, and no spiritual barriers were detected." Niwa crosses her arms again. "However, this estate is bound to have some residual traps, or at the very least a dangerous spirit or two. What's worse if I lose one of my subordinates there it could lead to a public investigation of the area. That would destroy any evidence left behind there." Her gaze turns sharp. "I don't need you to find anything specific. Explore the estate. Open every room, walk down every corridor, deactivate or find any traps left behind, and if you find any hostile spirits." Niwa frowns. "Run. Get out and return with your findings. Don't risk alerting the police or anyone to that area."

"Why do you want me to investigate this place, and why does it have those things." I flip to the next page in the folder.

"Because of who used to own it." Niwa states. Mizuki Magari's face stares at me from the folder.

"!... This... is her house?" When I saw her at Paulownia Academy she wore an expensive looking dress instead of the usual school uniform. She really did look like the doll of a princess from a fairy tale. This almost looks like something from a fairy tale as well, British with a large garden.

"You seem to know her. I guess you met her in the Nirvana as well." She looks curiously at me.

Not just there, after getting back we've run into each other two more times. Each time she tried to kill me. I only survived because of those weird visions I've been getting.

"Yeah... you could say that." I don't know how Niwa will react if I say Magari's already on my case. That said, doing this investigation brings to mind the phrase 'out of the frying and into the fire'.

"Well then you shouldn't be too worried, she's abandoned that place." Abandoned? Why?

"Why'd she do that?" She leans back into her chair and crosses her arms.

"It seems that Magari left the Grave after we returned. I don't know why. Perhaps she didn't like the way they used her."

Magari had been under orders to retrieve the Book of Shadows for the Grave of Maltuva. But, while we were there we saw countless bodies of what looked like cult followers. It looked like they had been practicing some sort of occult ritual.

Magari hadn't been told about it and it pissed her off. According to her their rituals aggravated the Nirvana, accelerating its infiltration into the real world.

"Whatever her reasons, the Grave retaliated by attacking her at her estate." The page opposite the one with Magari's photo shows the entrance of the estate at a different angle. I can see further into the garden from this angle. Deep furrows seem to have been dug into the earth. What looks like scorch marks scar some of the walls of the mansion and what was an ornamental tree had been knocked over. The jagged edges of the broken trunk point to the sky.

"From the photos my subordinates took without stepping inside, it looks like she fought them in the main garden before retreating into the mansion and disappearing." Turning the page reveals more photos. Some of the gate, noting the damage it withstood. Others were zoomed in photos of the mansion inspecting the damage that could be seen from outside. Unrelated looking photos of the walls around the mansion and even of the road connecting to it were also there.

The next couple pages were filled with nothing but photos of similar sort. Each photo was labelled with the location it was taken from.

After the photos blue prints and schematics of the mansion appeared. How did she get hold of these? Even blue prints of buildings that had stood there before the estate had been constructed had been copied and placed inside the binder.

"This was all I could gain without actually entering the grounds." She proudly states. "I had my subordinates scout out the area for me so I could investigate it personally." Niwa was going there herself?

"You were going to investigate it?" I would have thought she would leave the grunt work to someone else.

"This is the house of one of the heads of the Grave of Maltuva." She gets up and walks to the window. "There's bound to be some interesting information remaining there." standing in front of it she puts one hand on the glass. The sun is still rising and lights up her face. "I can't leave an investigation like this to someone else." She turns back towards me, the light from outside traces silhouettes her. "Were you worried about me, Kishinuma-san." She smiles.

"*(sigh) Not really, I just thought you weren't the type to do that, that's all." I look to the side. Seriously, I don't get her at all. Does she care for those under her? Has she changed from that arrogant, greedy, brat who thought she could turn Heavenly Host into a tourist attraction? There are lots of things I can't figure out. Part of the reason I'm here I guess.

"Oh, too bad, if you were I would have given you this ultra-rare spirit item I have with me." She states playfully while turning back to the window.

"... So, what do you want me to look for in this place?" That's why she called me here, to investigate this place.

"Shut down, how saddening." She turns back from the window and returns to her desk. I'm not interested in being teased by her.

"The blue prints of the mansion are all there. As I've said before it's the house of a Grave of Maltuva head. Even with the schematics 'donated' from the local government, there's no telling what extra features have been added naturally or supernaturally." Niwa returns to her explanation calmly. "I want you to do what I asked you to do earlier. Explore every room in that house and locate any places of interest or hazards." She brings out an unsealed envelope. "These are copies of the schematics of the building." I open it up. Sheets of paper with figures and diagrams are inside.

"It already looks like you've got most of the investigation done already... what do you need me for?" It's true, schematics, maps, virtually everything needed to investigate the area is right here.

"That's why I said it's an easy job." She starts playing with a lock of hair again. "I've done most of the ground work already. In the future I'd prefer to either send you in blind or have you prepare it yourself." Her violet eyes meet mine again. "I just need you to explore the mansion and either note on the map or write a report about what you saw and felt in each location."

"... and if I meet anyone there?"

Niwa sighs. "From my surveillance of the area and data from the electric and water companies providing to that area, unless there's a massive stockpile of bottled water and canned food inside the building, whoever inside should be at least heavily starved, if not dead from dehydration."

"But spirits don't need either right?" She nods.

"That's why I'm sending you in, Kishinuma-kun."

"... I got it. When do you want me to finish."

"I have no pressing plans for this information at the moment. This merely saves me some time by having you do a preliminary investigation." She shrugs. "It's your first job, do as much or as little as you think you need to do. I can't tell you what you're doing wrong if I don't see you do something first can I?"

...

...

...

I left Perfect Life after that and went home. Magari's estate seemed to be pretty far out from the city, near the mountains in Kumamoto. That was right on the outskirts of Tokyo. I needed to prepare, I had bought some stuff after Shinozaki went into the Nirvana with Mist. I never got to use it, since I left it behind when Satoshi dragged me back to school. I ran away from school and then found Magari straight after.

The bag is still with me. Inside are snack bars, bottled water, a flash light, spare batteries, matches... anything I could scrounge up or buy at a convenience store in the middle of the night. There were even packets of PL brand talismans and holy water in there as well. I had put the back pack in the hallway leading to the bathroom in my apartment. I never had time or reason to unpack it. I guess it's going to come in handy now.

I reach my apartment building, it's the afternoon. Niwa suggested I look over the blue prints before I investigate it, so I went into a library nearby to look through them.

Some of the sheets were useless, containing weird symbols about cabling and plumbing I couldn't understand at all. I mostly reviewed the simplified ones only containing basic floor plans of the mansion. The building only had 2 floors with a large lobby that led into the East and West wings of the building. Notable features were the library located on the west side of the second floor and the master bedroom on the east side of the second floor. In between them and the lobby were more rooms. I guess they were meant for guests or possibly servant. The first floor had the kitchen in the West wing as well as the dining room. A sitting room located beneath the library was at the furthest end of the wing. The windows seemed to look out at the garden. I guess that's where the broken tree I saw in the photo was. The East wing had a massive bath and what looked like a changing area. At the very end was a music room. The central lobby seemed to be the only place one could go from the first to the second floor. It was a lot smaller than Heavenly Host, but if I was going to be checking each and every room carefully it would probably take a while, maybe even a couple of days.

"*(sigh) I just hope there's nothing dangerous..." I say to nobody.

"What's dangerous?" A chirpy voice sounds next to me.

"Hnn?! Miki!" Miki is standing next to me, another bag of groceries in her hand.

"Hello again, Yoshiki-san!" She smiles, I guess I must have been deep in thought if I didn't notice her next to me.

"... Miki, don't surprise me like that... since when have you been there?" I see a glint in Miki's eye and she puts her hands on her hip and sticks out her chest.

"Ahem!" She coughs for effect. "I've been tailing you for the past 5 minutes, and you completely didn't notice me! What do you think?"

"... I think that you'll get in trouble doing that someday. Also what's with that bizarre time span?" 5 minutes isn't a lot but it isn't exactly short either. I guess I must have been either tired or thinking too hard if I didn't notice her for that time.

"Whaaaaaaat did you say!" Miki pouts. "You didn't notice for that entire time you know!"

"Well... I was thinking about... something..." I grumble, Miki looks up curiously at me.

"What were you thinking about? I thought you were just a NEET?"

"*(sigh) I'm telling you, I'm not a NEET. I was thinking about stuff I need for the job I've got right now."

"Job?" Miki frowns. "What about school? Did you quit?"

_"...stay in school. No matter what! Really... *(sniff)"_

I wonder what Shinozaki would have thought about this right now. Her lasts words towards me told me to forget about her. Would she be scolding me right now telling me that I'm wasting my time? That I should go to school, go back to the 'normal' world? ... It's a moot point anyways. I can't go back to school, not with being 'eroded' like I was. And... there was no way I would... ever... leave...

_It's hot... hot... I can feel my flesh cooking. Layer after layer as first clothing, then hair, skin, muscle... and now my insides... over and over again... it's hot... hot... It hurts but the tears evaporate before they even form. I wish I could sweat. To feel anything wet against my own skin. I can't run from the pain... I tried screaming but all that did was allow the flames to flow down my throat, searing it and melting my vocal cords... suffocating..._

_Why did I end up like this? Why am in so much pain? Was it worth it? I don't know... I don't remember... I don't even remember who I am... I don't think I can recognize what I looked like..._

_I'm looking for something. The reason... why I'm in this much pain... why I'm burning... even in death. I'm looking for why I'm like this._

_At first I was in an old dark building. Outside was dark and I couldn't see. At first I ran all throughout the building. Screaming, looking for something to put out the flames. None of the taps worked no matter how much I turned, even the toilets were dry._

_I started trying to kill myself after that, but of course that didn't work. Even the blood that seeped out of the wounds I made on me provided no cooling at all. I tried pressing myself against the windows to cool myself down but it did nothing. All I could do was suffer, burning... maybe even forever. I screamed the loudest when I realized that. I just collapsed and screamed... all alone in an unfamiliar hallway._

_But... something changed. I was suddenly no longer in an old wooden building. I was on hard cement. I think I was supposed to know this place, but I couldn't be sure. At first I was happy. Finally I could find some water! Finally I could stop burning!_

_I couldn't touch it. I ran into fountains and dove into a river. I didn't even make a ripple. I couldn't even feel how cold it should have been. I continued to burn inside the water as it simply flowed through me. Even the night air which was meant to be cold didn't cool me. I didn't scream this time._

_So now... I'm looking for something... the reason... why I'm suffering... and I think I found it._

_There's a girl in front of me. She's standing I front of a mirror, washing her face. How nice that water must feel... I reach out to touch her... and I feel relief. Her skin is cold! It's not hot or doesn't pass through me! She is cold!_

_The girl blinks and starts as she looks into the mirror. I look up as well. A hand shaped bruise has appeared on her neck. She scrubs at her neck as if to remove it, to remove me._

_My grip tightens. I'm not going to be scrubbed away. I've had enough with burning. I'm fed up with suffering like this. Forever. My other hand joins the other around her neck. Again the same cooling bliss against my seared flesh. The bruise on her neck grows and darkens. She tries to scrub more frantically. Her skin reddens and starts to blister. I start bringing myself closer to her to push myself against this one source of relief from the heat._

_The skin on her neck begins to tear and blood leaks staining the towel. The blood that is supposed to be warm, coming from a living body is cold relief on my skin. I embrace her from behind tightly. Her pants of fear and panicked expression freeze my insides. She continues to scratch and claw at the marks as if to carve them off of her..._

_Gradually, either from pain or blood loss, her movements are getting weaker. Her eyes gradually close, and her breathing is so faint I can barely hear it. The face I saw in the mirror flops back towards me, against my chest and stares blankly up at me. I bring my mouth next to her ear. Her hair is soothingly, soft, cold, and wet from her morning shower._

_"Shinozaki..." That's her name, that's who I died for, that's why I'm burning like this. She reacts slightly to her name. A slight twitch as if trying to look around for who is calling her. "Shinozaki..." I whisper again... and... everything... goes... cold..._

"Yoshiki-san!"

"! ! ! Uwaaaa!" I jump. Miki is right in front of me and is staring into my face. I jump back a little.

"Yoshiki-san, are you alright? You stopped walking and just started staring at the ground." What was that? My skin still tingles from the feeling of burning the smell of Shinozaki's shampoo is still in my nose. My head hurts. "Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing, sorry I just..." What did I just have? A vision? A premonition? I don't know but Miki is looking at me with a worried expression.

"It's... nothing, just thinking about something." I put on a cheap smile to recover my composure. The tingling and smell gradually fade.

"Was... school that bad a topic, Yoshiki-san?" Miki looks down at the ground and fidgets, like a kid who's being scolded by their parent.

"It's not that." I quickly wave away that possibility. "Don't worry about it. I just can't go to school for... personal reasons." I reach up and pat Miki on the head. I guess the reason why I did that with Shinozaki is because Miki's only slightly shorter than her. I'm used to patting her on the head since we were kids. I feel a sharp sting on the back of my head, as if someone threw a small pebble at me. Miki pouts.

"Mou! I'm not a kid you know!" She pushes away my hand and pouts with hands on her hips.

"What part of you isn't a kid?" I ask back, and rub the back of my head. Miki hasn't noticed anything and I didn't hear the sound of anything hitting me or falling to the ground after it had hit me.

"Hmph! If I'm a kid you're just as much a kid as I am. You don't look as if you're old enough to do a job anyways!" She turns away, heavily insulted. I might be 17 but it's true most people wouldn't give me a proper job. Hell, in this day and age a high school graduate wouldn't get a decent job anyways.

"As I said, I have my own reasons." I start walking towards home again. The setting sun turns the street we're in a warm orange. Miki starts following me again.

"But it's fun you know, school." Yeah, it was fun, with Satoshi and the rest. Yui-sensei was a fun person as well.

"How many times, have I got to say it? I have reasons for why I can't go to school." Miki frowns at this.

"What reasons? You just keep on saying reasons but never say what they are." She's right... I've been trying to not say what my job is but... I've never been good at hiding or lying about things. My mouth has gotten me into more trouble than it's worth.

"I... need money. You know to live and eat and stuff like that." It's a horrible excuse. All I could think of at the moment.

"? ? ? Don't you have any relatives or someone to support you?" She looks at me quizzically. I scratch my cheek trying to think up a reason.

"We... had a fight. I'm not on that great terms with them anymore." Miki turns away from me and sighs.

"With your mouth I guess I'm not too surprised." She looks back at me. "But if you've fought with them you've got to make up. It's not right leaving family like that."

Miki used to say the same thing about me and dad, every time she came over. I turn away and stare forwards.

"It's too late for that now. So I need money to live, that's why I have a job." Miki doesn't look convinced but hears the note of finality in my voice. I don't want to talk about this, to many bad memories.

"So... what's your job about?" She asks, I guess from the flow of the conversation she'd eventually get to this topic.

"I'm... just investigating something." They say mix in lies with a little bit of truth right? I guess if I mix in this bit of truth I can lie later and they'll believe it right?

"Investigating? Are you... a Detective Yoshiki-san!" Miki jumps in front of me I can literally see stars in those bright eyes.

"Y-yeah I guess you could say it's sort of like that." Are private investigators like detectives? I don't know but if she just makes up her own understanding of what I do it should be fine.

"Really, wow, a real live detective!" She's squees to herself. I forgot Miki read a lot of detective stories. I read a couple but the pattern got a little bit boring so I stopped. That was part of the reason I taught her some of the techniques I learned from my... old... acquaintances.

"What are you investigating? Is it a crime scene? A potential suspect?" She's still bouncing in front of me. I stopped walking from the onslaught of positive curiosity in front of me. I push back against it and start walking home again. Miki skips next to me.

"W-well, I can't really talk about it... you know... confidentiality clause and stuff." That's a thing right? Where a person can't talk about what they're working on?

Miki frowns and raises up her fists. "Boo! There has to be something you can tell about it. Like information that can be released to the public, or requests for public support." Her eyes are still shining with adoration.

"Nope, no can do." I shoot down her dream with four words. I think I heard the sound of breaking glass. "I can't give you any information, and it's not a crime I'm investigating so it's not that interesting." Miki gives me the bambi eyes. "And no, I'm not going to be taking you with me." The sound of crumbling dreams is almost audible.

"But... but..." Miki seems to be trying to reboot something in her head. I guess meeting your dream and then having it shot down in a couple of lines is pretty harsh. I forgot how much she loved detective novels.

"Well, this is where I live. Go home safely alright?" I open up the gate. Miki shakes herself out of her funk and follows me in.

"Hey, wait!" She runs after me and catches up. "Um, I was wondering. My parents aren't going to be home tonight, and it's sad to eat when you're all alone." She fidgets a little. "Can I eat at your place tonight?" I sigh, I might have been able to stop her from asking too much about my job but I can't reject something like this.

"Fine, so what's for dinner today?" I start climbing the stairs and Miki follows after me, the clink of two pairs of feet ring the stairs.

"Well it's slightly out of season but I decided to make some hot pot tonight!" She opens the top of the bag. Leek, Chinese cabbage, carrots and shiitake mushrooms poke out from beneath as well as some bonito flakes and a packet of chicken and pork. She was definitely planning to eat dinner with me from the beginning. Eating hotpot by yourself is depressing alone, and there's no way she could have eaten all that by herself.

"Looks, good I'll get out the pot and portable stove burner. Could you start washing and cutting everything?" Miki nods and then salutes me.

"Roger, roger Captain Hotpot!" She exclaims with a serious face. I sigh and smile while I dig out my house key.

"? Where is it?" I pat down my pockets. My wallet and handkerchief are still there but my keys are missing.

"Looking for something?" Miki asks innocently. I hear the clink of metal against metal.

"*(sigh) give them back." Miki hands me back my keys and sticks out her tongue.

"You sure you don't want me to tag along? Tomorrows Saturday, I don't have any school."

"Nope, you go play with your friends. Plus it's a Saturday, who saying I'm going to go work on a weekend?" I still fully intend to go tomorrow. But Miki isn't coming with me.

"Hmph, just make sure you keep a close eye on your bowl Captain. I hear there's a mutiny brewing among your crew." She turns away and huffs.

"Fine, fine. Well then come on in." I open the door and take off my shoes. Miki stands in the door way with a strange expression on her face.

"Hm? What's wrong Miki?" I ask Miki shakes her head.

"It's nothing, thanks for having me." She steps in and closes the door behind her.

...

...

...

The hot pot was good. Miki's mutiny didn't happen until the very end when I was making the rice porridge in the remaining broth. She switched the oyster and soy sauces while I wasn't looking. I choked a little on surprise, but surprisingly rice porridge with sauce wasn't too bad. Miki looked disappointed that it didn't work as well as she thought. It was also good that I was pouring everything in small amounts so I could taste it before fully seasoning my food with it.

I picked up the unsealed envelope from the shelf I put it on. Miki had already gone home after cleaning up. I walked her most of the way back as before. Our conversation was mostly about her school stuff, if not her trying to sneak some information about the job I was on. Besides the latter topic it was pretty similar to the ones I had with Miki before I was forgotten. It was a nice feeling. I had once given up on seeing Miki ever again, when I followed Shinozaki back into Heavenly Host to save Satoshi and the rest from Sachiko. I had given up again after returning here and being forgotten by everyone.

"I guess I shouldn't give up on things so easily next time." I say to nobody. Satoshi never gave up. No matter what, that was a good thing about him, even if I found it annoying sometimes.

I lie back down on the bed. I'd already showered and brushed my teeth. I checked on the bag and everything I had packed was still inside. I'd planned to review the blueprints one last time before going to sleep but I'm too tired to do that right now.

Today's been a weird day. That... vision... I had on my way home. It seemed familiar but I couldn't remember where or when it happened.

The sensation was real though. Even the smell of Shinozaki's freshly washed hair. That was the same one I had smelled when I met her yesterday. My fists ball up.

Did that really happen? It felt real... but Shinozaki is alive, and so am I.

My brow furrows. Is someone attacking me like the way Niwa did back when she first read my mind? Are they trying to scare me by making me see these things? I don't think it's like that though. The feeling of reliving those moments. It's a lot like the times when I fought Magari, or those strange visions I saw a couple days ago when I was at the employment agency.

Those felt like memories. Like I was remembering something that happened before... but if that was true then... I look down at my hands. They're scarred, ragged, covered with blood and gore.

"! ! ! UWAAAA!" I jump up and scream. I try to wipe them on shirt and I look back at them. Both hands are clean and normal. My breathing is heavy, I'm covered in cold sweat.

If that vision was true, then I killed Shinozaki. There's no denying that. I felt her bleed out on top of me. I felt her fear and pain. I look at my hands again, they're both shaking. I clench them to stop them.

I can't flake out like this. I'm the only one who remember who Shinozaki, her only hope of escaping from Sachi. I need to hold it together. That memory never happened. It didn't happen. I lie back down on the bed and get under the blanket.

I need to get to work tomorrow. Magari's estate is bound to have something creepy about it. If I don't be careful, it's not only my life on the line.

Sleep gradually comes over me. I just hope it's not my last one.

* * *

(*drip, drip, drip)

Wax drips down onto marble the floor, pooling in a puddle of white liquid before being squished by the candle that birthed them.

A small orange flame flickers in the pitch black darkness.

"So small, but so warm... but there's no one to share it with..." The rustle of cloth sounds in the dark room as someone turns away from the candle.

"I didn't see your name on the family tree. But you're still family. It's lonely to be left here isn't it?"

No one replies.

"I guess so long spent in that would make you angry, but it should be alright. There should be enough inside for you to recognize."

The light from the candle glints off something sharp, metallic, polished as a small wind blows it from side to side.

"Your soul won't go to waste. Who knows maybe it might even be saved." Another rustle but no footsteps.

"I'll leave you here for now, but don't be sad. You'll have company soon enough."

The candles flame wavers and sputters, then stops. Candle wax that drips down from the top stops halfway. The diminishing candle stops its descent.

The candle continues to burn in the dark room illuminating the edge of a pool of congealed blood and casts, on the blood sprayed walls of the small, dark, European style room, the shadow of a single figure on their knees impaled to the ground by a single Katana. The wavering flame is reflected in the edge of the blade.

* * *

**A/N:**

This Chapter is 7400 words long... not including the A/N which I had to re-write... I misclicked and closed the tab with this page on it and lost about 500 words of A/N... I am soooo kicking myself right now.

ANYWAYS Read and review please (I'm not retyping my horrible joke about lolis and a nail gun although you can PM (or post on my forum, which is linked on my profile) if you want to read it (no really it is pretty bad(as in 'the joke was crap' not 'the joke was morally questionable')))

SOOOOOO I just finished reading "Corpse Party: Cemetry (CP:C) The Creation of Ars Morendi". I don't think many other people have read it since I couldn't find any sites that had scans or translations of it. (I read the raws that I downloaded from somewhere)

From that we've got a new character(ish) from there as well as; 3 new spirit items, 4 new rituals, 1 additional development for Niwa Aiko, and the Miki scene in this chapter. The additions to chapter 27 from reading CP:C made me want to add some slice of life into the last bit of this chapter.

Since most people haven't read CP:C (and a friend of mine made an interesting point about how I might not have fleshed out characters for people who haven't read as much about the topic/genre) I WILL be describing them and writing about them as if you have NEVER seen them before. Hope this doesn't put anyone off or annoy them. (Also if anyone could read about the first time I introduced Niwa Aiko and give me their opinion of how I've described/characterized her and how she's developed I would be very grateful! (I say Niwa Aiko because she's probably the least well known character of all the other ones I've introduced who really matter.))

Yes, I have made rules for how some of the spiritual techniques/rituals work. Yes, they are mine and mine alone. It is kinda influenced by Nasuverse but doesn't really take anything from there so you won't see me throwing words around like 'clock tower' or 'noble phantasms'. It's more the feeling of how the items in the Nasuverse are described and how they operate that I've been influenced by.

BTW first episode of UFOtables F/SN is also out. I haven't watched it yet so if anyone knows where I can watch it PM me a link and I'll be VERY grateful. (still sad that it wasn't Heaven's Feel in the end... SAKURA 4 LIFE)

Read and Review again plz or I will oTZ (also I haven't eaten for the last 24 hours in order to continue writing this... excuse any lack of common sense/bizarre senses of humor)


	27. ADF - Chapter 2 - Investigation, 2F

**Outside Mizuki Magari's Estate – Real World – Yoshiki**

I arrived at Magari's estate after eleven. Finding the place had taken a long time. The bus and train ride alone had taken more than an hour. Climbing the road that lead to it took another one. It was located half way up the mountain between Hinode Town and Ao-umi city.

The road that lead up to it was a dirt one, not asphalt or brick. Compacted dirt over hung by trees made a natural tunnel into the forest. It was steep. If I tripped I'd probably be able to roll all the way down to the mouth of the tunnel.

My breath came out in puffs of mist. Even though it wasn't that cold in the city up here it felt like winter. I guess this high up it would start to get colder. Luckily I'd put a jacket inside my bag just in case it got cold. I put on the warm jacket and move my notebook and pen from my trouser pocket to my jacket. The trees gobbling up all the sunlight probably made things worse. Only a deep green glow was allowed down here.

"...It's quiet..." Only the occasional crunch of my feet disturbing some dried up leaves or the clatter of stepping on a gravelly patch of the road. There was no sound. I couldn't hear any birds or insects. Just the sound of my feet rang in this green and brown space.

...

...

...

I finally reached the gates I saw in the photos back in Niwa's office. Tall, ornate, iron gates hung from their hinges at angles. The metal had sheared or torn as if a battering ram had been used to open them. They were bent inwards. The right gate was bent further than the left one and leaned backwards on its twisted hinges.

The inside of the garden had a fountain at the center, in front of the mansion. It had 3 figures of women bent over with vases over their left shoulder with their curled backs against a central column that supported a bowl. I guess water was meant to come out of from the top bowl and out of the jugs and flow into the bottom basin which was decorated with stone flowers and vines. Scorch marks scarred the left side of the fountain and the woman on the left was missing its head and legs. Only her torso and the vase were attached to the column. Green water floated in the bottom pool and moss and algae had begun to creep up the central column and down from the top basin.

I walked past it and looked around the garden.

The garden was mostly over grown. Swollen bushes and weed filled flower beds were on either side. A small clearing was on the left side of it. I guess it was in front of the west side of the building. A tree had been growing there but had been broken at the base and collapsed onto the second floor of the mansion. It looked like it had hit the library. I approach the broken trunk and saw a scorched plaque at the base.

"Platanus kerrii?" I guess it was meant to be the name of the tree but the inscription below it was covered in soot. I reached down to brush away the soot...

_"OooooAAAAaaagggggghhh..."_

_"Oooooooooooooooollllggghh..."_

_*(WHUMP)_

_"Gah! Ow, You..." Shinozaki had just hit me in the chest I stumbled back and to the side. Her thin arms carried a lot more force than I expected. The blow had briefly winded me._

_"I believed in you!"_

_"Why does everyone not listen to my suggestions?!"_

_"... What the hell..." I get up, rubbing my chest where she hit me. Shinozaki's acting weird again. Like that time when she ran off and started staring at the wall at the entrance._

_"What the hell are you saying?!" I walk past Shinozaki and to the stairs... _Wait... this isn't right...

_"AH, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. AHHH, HAHAHAHA!" her maniacal laugh follows me down the hallway._

_"...God...Dammit..." I curse as I walk towards the stairs... _This isn't right. I didn't walk that way...

_A red spirit sputters into existence on the far end of the hallway._

_"That poor girl... She's lost her mind, and she'll never get it back...Possession is a frightful thing. To have your thoughts pushed deep down into the pit of your soul, and someone else's take their place." I ignore it and continue walking towards the stairs..._ Wait, I why am I going this way... am I going to leave Shinozaki? Hey, move body!

I try to move but I continue to walk towards the stairs. Is this another vision? But this... looks like one of my memories. What's going on?

_I run half way down the stairs and stop then sit down. _

_Shinozaki... It's dangerous to just leave her there but... but...she's freaking me out... Why did she turn into... that?... *(Kuh) I grit my teeth._

This isn't what happened, this isn't what I thought. What's going on?! I went to the bathroom and felt like I was going crazy. I never thought of leaving her behind.

The memories of being back in that bathroom stall pass by me. I can feel them but I'm too stunned to react to them. I can only tell they are the exactly the same as the ones I remembered back in that bathroom. I suddenly realize this me has stood up. I feel dizzy but this version of me doesn't even stumble he just turns around as if her heard something. My vision is steered by his neck and eyes. I'm too confused to take in everything. I mentally shake myself out of it and focus my own vision through this guys eyes.

Shinozaki?

_"Shino-"_ Both me and the me I'm inside are surprised. One moment we were standing looking up at Shinozaki's angry face. Then we're falling backwards. I see the dark wooden beams that form Heavenly Host's roof. I can feel this me's innocent surprise contrasted with my own confusion.

_*(CRACK)_

I hear something break, such a short fall shouldn't have broken anything or at the most only winded me. Somehow my neck and ribs have shattered and caved in piercing my lungs.

_*(gag, gurgle, splutter, burble)_

We're coughing, choking on our own blood as it flows up our throat.

_"Shino- *(cough, choke, bubble)" _My voice is drowned in my own blood. I can't cough it out. The source of the fluid is inside my own lungs.

_"*(gurgle, gurgle)"_ We both hear the sound of feet coming down the steps and watch as Shinozaki's face leers at us in admiration. Not of us, but the broken body that she has created. Things grow darker and darker…

"! ! ! *(GASP!, WHEEZ, COUGH COUGH)" I wake up. I was on the ground my hand next to the plaque. I immediately snatch it away from it and crawl backwards from it.

"Haah, haaah" I steady my breathing. I'm no longer choking anymore. I breathe in deep breaths of cold air through my nose and then through my mouth. My racing pulse slows to its normal pace.

I saw that vision when I touched that soot. I feel a disgusting feeling in my stomach. Like I want to throw up but can't. A deep irritation at myself burns in me.

"... Dammit" Not even in the house yet I'm already in such a state. I'm seriously wondering if Niwa was right about my odds of survival. Still this is part of what I was sent to do. To find out and investigate anything that might be dangerous and then get rid of it or note it down. I look at the fingers that were touching the soot. There's nothing on them, not even the tiniest bit of ash has rubbed onto them. That stuff isn't normal, but I can't be sure. I stand back up.

If I'm going to have to try it again, I might as well test a different patch. I get up off the ground and walk towards the front entrance. The stairs that lead up to it have scorch marks splattered across them as if someone had thrown a bunch of water balloons filled with ink at the mansion. I walk up to one on the bottom step and step on it.

... Nothing happens. I don't feel anything at all. It looks like as long as you don't touch it directly your fine. But I have to check... I get on one knee and reach towards the stain. I brush it lightly with one finger.

My vision sways and I almost lose my balance.

"! ! ! *(Cough, hack! Wheez)" I get back up. I didn't see anything this time, but I felt sick. Like there was something slimy and disgusting worming its way through my intestines. I dry heave once as the feeling of revulsion gradually goes away. I get it, these marks... when you touch them directly they make you feel... disgusted. It was the same feeling of self-loathing and disgust I had when I woke up from that vision earlier. It looked like the more you touched it the bigger the effect was, or was it because the mark I touched was smaller than the one on the plaque? I don't know, I'll let Niwa figure that out. I just need to note that it's dangerous. I take out a pen and a pad of paper from my jacket pocket. "Don't touch the soot. It makes you feel sick..." I look down at my sparse notes. I don't think Niwa will be content with these but I don't know how else to put it.

What did Saenoki Naho's notes look like? We took a look at them when we found her notebook inside Heavenly Host. She described her condition clinically and precisely. I guess I should probably mimic that.

"Touching, causes visions that make you hate yourself..." Reading it makes me feel stupid but this will have to do for now. Frankly I have no idea what counts as 'good' for Niwa. As long as I can note down that it's dangerous in some way I'll have done my job. I stick the pen and notepad back into my pocket and take one last look around the garden.

I guess I can check it out later. If it gets dark it'll be hard to see things out here but it'll be impossible inside the mansion, might as well use the daylight while I still can.

I walk up the steps up to the large wooden doors. Scorch marks spatter it but it doesn't look like it's been burned. The door is ajar. As I pass it by I see the splintered edge of what used to be the bolt to hold the door closed lying loosely in the twisted hooks that used to hold it in place. Whatever had pulled this door open wasn't human, or at least had Magari level strength. I'd been hoping Magari was pretty much a once off, but Mist had that weird telekinesis thing. He slammed me into the wall surrounding one of the nearby houses hard enough to break the cement. It was a near miracle I didn't break anything back then, even though I blacked out. Maybe it was something like that?

... Still somebody I wouldn't want to run into. Trying to escape from Magari is tough, trying to dodge an attack you can't see or predict... Even with my visions if I can't see or predict what's going to kill me there's no way for me to react. I'd need to know at least the direction the attack was coming from.

I step into the lobby and my footsteps echo in the dark cavern. There's no place to take off your shoes. The doormat has been trampled and kicked to the side. I'd heard people from overseas don't take off their shoes when they walk into their house. I guess the same rules apply here.

The room looks like a ball room you'd see in some castle. A row of curved stairs lead to a balcony on the second floor. If I remember correctly it's that balcony that leads to the upstairs corridors. The East and West wings are on either side of this central room.

Signs of fighting are here as well. There's no blood though, I'd expected any fight with Magari to have the stuff coating the walls. Only black marks pepper the walls and ceiling. I step on a couple on the floor to double check they aren't harmful. I feel nothing so I note that only touching it with your skin seems to cause the effect.

Unlike the garden where I saw the furrows in the ground or the broken tree there isn't any damage that makes me think of Magari. No gashes or cuts or craters. Just scorch marks everywhere in this room. I guess even if she was abandoning this place she wasn't too keen on destroying her own property... Could I use that against her? I still can't fight her head on. Any advantage I can get is one I'll take. Still, besides luring her here for a fight in the hopes she's still attached enough to this place to not trash it... I can't think of any way to really use that knowledge.

"Heh, maybe I can take her favorite teddy bear hostage." I joke to myself, then seriously consider it... I'd feel like an ass for doing that... and I also have a nasty feeling that if I did do that she'd simply not kill me so she could give me a fate worse than death later. My visions seem to only predict me dying. I'm not sure it predicts anything that wouldn't kill me, at least not outright.

I shake my head off of these stupid thoughts. The sun light I have is limited, and I'd rather not be here at night. The dark rooms already give me the creeps. I should check the second floor first. The master bed room and library are both there. If there's any interesting information it's most likely there.

**Mizuki Magari's Estate Second Floor West Wing – Real World – Yoshiki**

I made my way along the corridor to the library. The corridor had light blue wall paper and gold engravings between the doors. Candle holders were located in between them as well. Modern electric lights stylized as small chandeliers dotted the ceiling. A line of windows opened up the right side of the corridor to the forest behind the mansion. Light flowed in at an angle from these illuminating the corridor at regular rectangular intervals..

I checked the rooms that lead up to it on the way, most of them seemed to be used by servants. I can tell by the maid or butlers uniforms that are inside some of the closets as well as a variety of personal effects such as bottles of perfume, combs, and toiletries. The rooms were a little bit bigger than a bed room and had a sink and mirror on the west wall, a desk was placed facing the same wall but at the far end of the room. A single bed was against the east one. Some of them seemed to be in the middle of preparing for the day. Their possessions were spilled out in front of mirrors or on the desk.

There wasn't much to note down since I didn't feel anything while moving through the rooms and checking them. Only one thing was noted from this corridor.

Near the end were a bunch of stains in the hallway. They looked like human shadows had been imprinted on the floor. One imprint was plastered on a door to one of the rooms. I could see the head and shoulders of the shadow on the white door. The doorknob even had lines around it as if a hand had been grasping it before being incinerated.

I guess whoever was throwing around the fireballs finally hit somebody. I think there are 4 people here but I can't be sure. Some of the marks are over lapping making it look like some two headed monster with way too many arms had been here. I pull out my handkerchief and use it to cover the doorknob while I open it.

The room with the shadow imprinted on it revealed a room about the same size as all the others but its contents aren't for human habitation. There's a large wooden table in the middle, clean and well maintained except for the layer of dust it's accumulated recently. The shelves are lined with a variety of carpentry equipment. I hand saws next to hammers and screw drivers of varying sizes. Some so small they look like toothpicks. Lathes and a ring with sand paper of varying degrees of abrasiveness are hung next to each other. It looks like a carpenter's workshop, something I'd see out of the fairy tale of Pinocchio. The only thing that ruins the feeling is the tray of surgical equipment I can see laid out on a smaller metal table on wheels next to the wooden one. Scalpels, forceps, and an empty metal container for dirty equipment were lined up neatly on it. I didn't feel anything from this room either, but I noted it down since it wasn't on the floor plans.

I close the door behind me with the handkerchief behind me. Were the people here trying to protect this room? This end of the hallway is almost right next to where the tree crashed into the mansion. Anyone who was on this side should have noticed something was wrong first, if not before then.

*(clink)

"Huh?" I hear a clink from near my feet. I look down. A silver gear is in on top of one of the shadows. I take a knee to get a closer look.

The gear is shiny, free of the soot that stains the hallway, even though it's right in the middle of the shadow. I pick it up with the handkerchief and check if there really is nothing on it.

"?" There's an engraving on the gear. In fancy cursive hand writing I can make out the letters A, N, N, A.. I put it in my pocket and check the other shadows. I see another glint in the shadow at the front of these four. I pick it out and check it as well, the name PERLA is engraved on it.

The shadow which I guessed was two people on top of each other had something in it that wasn't a gear. There was what looked like a heavily burned box in a pile of ash in it. It was so black and had been under the window sill that I hadn't seen it in the shadows. I lift up the lid using my handkerchief again.

It looks like an old fashioned music box. I can only tell from the melted remains of a music cylinder in the middle with charred pins at the back. The entire inside of the box is black as well. The lid crumbles in my hand.

"! Shit!" The lid shuts on the box and the light thump of the lid closing on it disintegrates the box. It collapses into a pile of ashes losing any sign of its former shape.

"..." I stare at where the box was for a bit. I hope Niwa doesn't deduct this from my salary or hold me responsible for this. I sigh and start digging into the pile of ash using the handkerchief as a broom. The soot and ash don't seem to stick with it. Like my hand the handkerchief doesn't get dirty at all even when touching the black dust.

I eventually find two gears from inside the ash pile. The name IRIS, and CORNALINA are engraved on them. I put all the gears in the same pocket. I don't know if they'll be useful or not but they're not hard to carry or heavy. If I can bring back some evidence from this place I might be able to speed up the investigation of this place as well.

Frankly I wasn't motivated for this. Going into a place that might be haunted and trapped wasn't my idea of a fun weekend activity. Still, if I could find something that could inform me about Magari or the Grave then I'd cooperate. I can't really figure out anything about Niwa at the moment. The best I've got is that she's at least dedicated to what she does. The amount of material, in that binder I saw, was pretty crazy. Besides that, since she isn't with me at the moment, I can't make any decisions about her.

I stand up from the ground and walk down the corridor towards the library.

As I thought, the tree from outside had slammed into the house right above the library. The branches that had come through and blocked the entrance had been cut down. Although the black marks that had littered the lobby and door made it look like whoever was throwing them could stop them from setting fire to things, I guess using it to burn off the branches was a no go for some reason. Either that or they got tired by the time they came here.

...

...

...

Whoever came in here before me had done a thorough job of taking everything. Shelves were overturned and broken along with chairs and tables. The top of the tree was leaning against the floor of the building its branches reaching into the room. I didn't even see a scrap of paper left here. Another black stain was plastered against the wall on the inside of the library. I checked it but there was no gear in the middle this time. It looked like he had been burning for a while. Blackened footsteps stumbled towards a wall where I guess he slid down and collapsed against it. Black lines from where the fingers scraped the wall and the smear of black that lead to what I guessed used to be the head of the stain dragged down the wall. The foot prints also lead up to where the stain was. I guess that I can rule out 'the fire thrower was tired' theory.

I checked the room one last time but besides the stain and the floor around where the tree was resting creaking I didn't find anything dangerous or disturbing. I back tracked back to the main lobby to go to the East wing.

**Mizuki Magari's Estate Second Floor East Wing – Real World – Yoshiki**

The East wing was much like the West one. A corridor again with room after room, at the end was the Master Bedroom, Magari's room.

The rooms here were similar to the ones in the West side of the house except in the exact opposite. The sink and mirror were on the East wall and the desk faced the East as well. The bed was by the west wall. Again the servant uniforms suggested that these were servant quarters. There were 8 rooms per corridor, not including the master bed room and library. The West wing had 7 of those dedicated to servants and with the last one being that weird workshop. I passed by the fourth room and repeated the process of slowly opening the door a crack, listening for any sound that indicated something moving like a trip wire or a lever, then swinging it open fully.

Each door didn't make a sound. Even a week or so after abandonment the hinges had been well taken care of and carried the door smoothly. This room was the same as the others.

"...the same again..." The rooms were exactly that. I had thought they had looked normal with the variety of personal effects that had been left there, but I wasn't so sure anymore. Each room with maid uniforms in it had the exact same number of bottles of perfume. I hadn't checked the labels very carefully but the colors seemed to be the same.

I had assumed that it might have been work related. Servants would probably not want to walk around with a lot of make up on. Even then, it was bizarre. The bottles were all in the same position, the same arrangement. Sometimes even the pattern they had fallen off the desk was the same.

The butler like rooms were also highly similar, the same bottle of cologne, the same bottle of hair oil... It was like each room was a clone of the other. I stepped out the room and count the number of doors behind me.

The number is three. I breathe a sigh of relief, then move on to the next one.

There were no black stains on the floor this time. In fact compared to the lobby and garden the only sign of damage was the layer of dust that had begun to accumulate over the window sills and some of the light fixtures.

But the imprints I saw in the other side of the house showed me that whoever had attacked Magari had been here. I don't think you'd leave half a building unsearched. So why are none of these rooms here disturbed? They don't even look like they've been searched at all. The clothes were still inside the closet and the desk drawers were unopened. It's bizarre. The only room that looked like it had been searched was the library. Everywhere else I wondered if they even bothered looking into.

I arrive at the Master bedroom. Unlike the other rooms the entrance is covered by double doors and they are pink opposed to the white of the other rooms. I reach out and grab the door handle, twist, and then push.

*(Gi, Gi, Gi)

The creak of wires pulling against something, I stop pushing. Is there a trap linked to this door? I can't see inside the room there isn't even a crack for me to peek through. I don't see myself dying. But that can mean many things.

Either, there's nothing on the other side of this room and it's just the door making this sound, or whatever trap is on the other side doesn't kill me outright. Still getting wounded here is dangerous. I haven't checked out the entire mansion yet, and even before then, if I get hurt bad enough that I can't move I'll end up starving here, if I don't bleed to death first.

Nobody knows where I am except Niwa Aiko. She said she had no immediate plans for this place so it might be a while before she comes to find me. I have food inside my bag but the amount of water I have might only last me a day or two.

A bead of sweat runs down my forehead.

Do I continue pushing and rely on this weird vision power I have? For all I know it doesn't activate against inanimate objects. My hand begins to shake on the doorknob.

"Kuh!" I grit my teeth. At this rate I won't progress at all. This is Magari's room. If the door hasn't been opened then there's a good chance there might be something of value. I can't pass this up. I grip the handle harder and push.

*(Gi, Gi, GIIII, TWANG)

I collapse to the floor.

"Oof!" What was that noise? Was I hit? I don't feel any pain. I get up onto my knees.

Two ice blue eyes stare back at me.

"!" I start and try to move backwards. My field of vision expands and I see the shape of twin tails.

I try to get up but my feet don't listen to me. I scramble backwards but hit something and I can't move. I close my eyes...

... I don't hear anything. No footsteps, no high pitched mocking voice. Nothing, just the heavy panting of my panicked breathing. I gradually relax and open my eyes.

The figure I had thought was Magari remained still. I calm my breathing down.

In through the nose out through the mouth... The shaking of my limbs gradually stops and I get up.

The double door are both swung open, letting in the light of the hallway glinting off of specs of dust from the fall I had earlier.

I had tripped over my own dumb feet from the tension and landed in front of what looked like a maid of this house.

She was collapsed against the foot of a double bed her face down turned. Her eyes were the same color as Magari's which made me think it was her that had been staring at me. The twin tails also strengthened that image but her hair was sky blue, not blond.

The maid uniform she wore was a European one, with what had been an apron in front.

Her midriff was charred black. I guess the fire thrower had been here after all. I notice two silver, small, cross shaped hair ornaments being held by her, one in each hand. The light glints off of them and something coming from them. I kneel down to take a closer look.

They are wires, numerous small thin wires spread out from the crosses and towards the doors. They glint as they arc upwards towards where the doorknobs were on each door. I guess these are what made the sound I heard when I tried to open it.

She was probably hit in the stomach by whatever the person attacking this house was using, ran into this room, and sealed this door to protect herself. It seemed that she was too late though. Her legs are collapsed underneath her making her look as if she's kneeling on the floor.

I notice something glinting on her lap. I reach out to pick it up. It's another gear, with the name LUNARIA engraved on it in the same handwriting. I accidentally glance up into the black hole where her stomach used to be.

"Huh? What is this?" Instead of burned flesh or intestines I had half expected to see there was something rectangular inside the black cavity of her stomach. Everything else around it had been burnt away it seemed. The blackened corners of her ribcage peeked out from the edge of the hole.

"..." I saw this same box outside in the pile of ash outside that workshop. This one looks like it's in better shape. I can still see the brown of the wood of the box. I take out my handkerchief again and carefully grab the box and lift it out. The maid doesn't move an inch.

The lid of the box is engraved with the image of a flower with four petals. The bottom part has been burnt and cracked leaking its component from inside. I can see gears and pins from the crack. I open it.

As I thought, it was a music box. A large cylinder lies inside. It wasn't as badly burnt as the other one but I can tell it won't play anymore. Half of it is blackened and destroyed. I set it down in front of the maid.

Why was this inside her? The box itself is pretty long at least 20cm. It's not something you could carry around inside you and be fine with.

I stand up.

I won't be figuring anything out here. I'll leave this to Niwa. Looking around the room doesn't provide any immediate clues though. Besides the massive bed there's almost nothing here. No desks, chairs or shelves. This place was built only for sleeping. The only ornaments here are the candle holders at the four corners of the room and the chandelier above. The windows on the East and South walls of the room pour light onto the bed.

Did Magari not live here regularly, or did she have a study somewhere else. This estate is pretty far away from Paulownia Academy. Is it possible she lived somewhere else and only came here to relax? I lift the sheets hanging over the side of the bed to look underneath it just to check if something is there.

...

Five black eyes stare back at me.

...

"! ! !" I drop the sheets. There was something there. It wasn't human, just a jumble of eyes staring back at me from the darkness. They weren't even paired together. Just slits of white dotted with an over large pupil. Was that an evil spirit?

*(Tssssssssssssssssss)

The sound of gas hissing, like someone was letting air out of a tire. Something is moving underneath the bed. I can see shapes moving against the sheets. A black blur flickers from underneath the edge.

I get up and run to the door, grabbing the door handles while crossing the frame and slam it shut.

I feel a massive chill down my spine, like someone is looking at me right now.

I turn around.

Eyes.

Eyes are everywhere.

Along the corridor, the floor, the walls, even on the windows.

Black shadows begin to swarm around some of them.

They bubble squirting the eyes forward on a tendril of blurred darkness.

Some of these tendrils merge and begin to swell.

The eyes continue to look at me.

"... Dammit!" I turn and run. I have no idea what those things are but they aren't friendly. Did I set off some sort of trap back in that room?

The eyes continue down the entire corridor. Shadows are beginning to build up around them. I take a quick look back.

Behind me are black figures. Bloated, blurry, figures, some have 4 limbs other just ooze on the floor. The one thing in common they have are the eyes. White slits crisscross their entire body dotted by a single large pupil. They creep forwards slowly.

"Shit!" What the hell are those things?! I reach the door to the East wing. The lobby is beyond this door.

I slam into it while twisting the doorknob. The door opens up smoothly.

"Guh!" I land on the floor carried by my momentum. I get back up.

The entire lobby is coated with eyes. They look around lazily for one moment before all stopping at once then focus on me. Hundreds of eyes looking, just looking, my skin crawls.

Looks like this is it for the investigation, I definitely think this counts as dangerous enough to run away. I haven't checked the first floor but I'm not staying here a moment longer if I can stand it. Running down the stairs I continue forwards to the front door.

It's shut.

When I first entered the door had been broken open. The bolt that held it shut had been snapped in half.

This door is shut and the bolt in place is in one piece. Black shadows wrap around the bolt as if to tie it in place. I turn towards one of the windows. Ignoring the eye staring at me from one of the panes I look outside.

The garden isn't there.

Instead, under a blood red, cloudy sky a crimson desert stretches as far as I can see. More of those shadowy creatures walk by. They all suddenly stop and turn to look at me. I slump in front of the window. My legs go numb and I can feel my chest squeezing painfully.

"...Dammit... it's Heavenly Host... all over again."

I'm trapped. And there's no one coming to save me.

My hands holding onto the window sill tighten.

I'm not giving up. They grip the sill and drag me back to my feet.

I'm not going to just give up and die.

I've given up before, on simple things, on myself. But, never Shinozaki. I'm not giving up! Because if I do, no one is ever going to remember her... No one is ever going to save her! So, Get up Yoshiki.

I stand back on my feet. The eyes of the things around me continue to drill into my mind.

"Bring it on, you eye ball freaks."

I turn around and start walking towards the first floor of the West wing.

* * *

**A/N:** So I re-updated this chapter, I re-read it and I guess I wasn't paying too much attention to the details I was writing down cuz I missed a couple. Sorry for everyone who read the first bit of the chapter.

This is the complete Part 1 of the Investigation or well it's now called Investigation 2nd floor I guess. I have sort of merged my old A/N here as well to talk about the references.

Also, my laptop has developed a bad case of overheating. I'm typing with the window open right now and the temperature outside is 1degree centigrade in Edinburgh in an attempt to keep my machine working until I can at least back up my fic and draft documents onto dropbox so I won't lose my stuff when this machine finally kicks the bucket. 3 years on a Dell laptop that's been making the click of death noise since I got it... well you lasted a long time dear friend, a long time. My feet are freezing and I'm wearing a jacket inside to accommodate my overheating HDD. Yeh, I'm TOTALLY not trying to guilt any of you into Reviewing :3 (no jokes though, my feet are actually numb, and yes it is 1degree centigrade, I didn't believe it either until I checked the thermometer) I think I'll be working on University computers for a while which is fine for me since it'll force me to do some extra reading for my degree.

So yeah, I re-uploaded this chapter cuz I added some details and corrected some mistakes in the first half and added this second half along with it. It is also 5:38AM where I live and I've been awake since midnight. Trying to figure out what was wrong took a while so I went to sleep at 20:00ish while a self diagnostic thing was running. Finally figured out it was overheating by looking up computer help forums on my iPhone.

5 characters mentioned here are not my own creation. 嘆きの人形(Nageki no Ningyou (Translates to: The Doll of Lament)) is the OP song of the thing I'm referencing. The workshop I wrote about is sort of envisioned after Germano's workshop (Ghepetto's workshop works as well but since Germano's is modeled after that to some extent they're sort of one and the same) and I had track 019 Ingranggio playing while imagining that room.

I won't have them play any major roles for now, but hey that's what I said about Miki and look what happened to her! Since they're from a different universe they're heavily modified within my fic so besides their base personalities there's nothing similar between them and the originals. Don't worry I'll introduce them as completely new characters, this isn't really a crossover fic. Track 005 Cilindro PLAY! (If you're looking for it you can't find it on youtube. I suggest Get tune that's where I found it.(I also have the original as well XD))


	28. ADF - Chapter 3 - Doll's Mansion

NOTE: There has been a change in Ch 27, I've added another section to it and edited the first part as well. I deleted and re-uploaded the chapter but apparently FF .net doesn't recognize that as a new chapter so I guess no one got the memo. I've put this here just so people aren't left feeling as if there was a time skip.

Also sorry for the weird thing with some of the text. I hadn't noticed it since I was tired. FF .net apparently doesn't like names having spaces in between letters. it deleted all the names I put in and chopped up some of the sentences as well.

Yeah, annoying for me as well. Anyway go check out Ch27 again since I had to fix some things: 09/10/14

**? ? ? - DPAJO - o8E&10A+I05*110+III&1OO+097w1o7*105**

A dark space, the only light is from the numerous small candles that grow out of the darkness and float in empty air. It's impossible to see how large this place is in this light, no walls or ceiling are illuminated.

Only Blackness.

This is a place that doesn't follow the rules or laws of normality.

Actions that are denied by reality occur at every turn.

Candles melts upwards, the wax beads flowing towards the flame, but the candle itself descends into the darkness.

Others appear normal, until you notice they are perfectly still, as if it were a painting of a candle, even the glowing flames are perfectly still.

Lights flicker and dance above pools of melted wax so clear it looks like water. The image of the dwindling wick is reflected as if in a mirror, yet the flame doesn't appear on the pools surface.

Two candles standing side by side gradually bend towards each other. The supposedly un-melted body twisting as if someone had heated it to sculpt it. They bend towards each other and melt into one unbroken cylinder of wax.

A ripple, a wave of distortion. The candles bend as if they too were a reflection on the surface of the water and someone had disturbed it.

A figure emerges from the ripple. A white hand stretches out and the world stills. The candles continue to burn.

This is the owner of this world. Everything here is its.

"A doll house," The figure begins, "a house for things that look human, but are not. A house not for living but for simply watching. Just watching and playing.

To be; admired, adored, idolized, and worshiped or to be; glared at, scowled at, scrutinized, and dissected, but finally to be; watched, inspected, monitored, and examined. To be observed"

A single candle rises out of the black floor and floats upwards.

"The observer effect. The effect 'observation' has on the 'observed'."

The figure beckons and the candle floats towards it and stops in front.

"Under everyday circumstances, all it describes are the unfortunate side effects of measuring something.

For temperature, you need to take heat.

For pressure, you need to take force.

In order to measure something you must affect some of the measured."

A droplet of wax slithers its way down the candle and drops to the dark surface below.

"The very act of measuring defeats its own point.

By measuring it you either increase or decrease the thing being measured.

Therefore in trying to learn something about it, you make it impossible to know the exact parameters of it."

The drop of wax hits the obsidian floor and sends a ripple across it.

"Under normal circumstances this effect is too small to be noticed. On top of that these can be minimized even further by using better equipment, or better techniques."

The ripples gradually slow but in their place a reflection of everything above them appears.

"Humans aren't immune to it either.

People are different when they are with people than when they are alone.

Even the thought of being observed by another thing or person can affect our thoughts and actions."

The floating candle drops and disappears, as if it had blown out of existence like the flame it had carried.

"This is also a sort of social 'observer effect'. But, that's not all of it you know?"

The white fingers coax something towards them and a small cat crawls out of the darkness. Its body is perfectly created from wax down to the detail of each and every hair. If it weren't for the sickening white colour of its eyes, ears, and mouth you would think it a normal white cat.

"The observer effect underlies the very basic laws of our world."

The figure picks up the cat and holds it in both arms while stroking it.

"By 'knowing' something we can change the very 'existence' of an object.

Quantum mechanics has this described in a variety of ways.

The paradox of Schrödinger's cat, the uncertainty principle of Heisenberg."

The stroking ceases and the cat is dropped but instead of falling it floats.

"What are these you ask?

Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment. An extrapolation of a bizarre concept."

The cat's limbs are stretched, as if being pulled on a rack.

"A cat is placed in a box. This box will kill the cat, but when it dies is entirely random. It might be the moment you close the lid, it might be at the very end of its nine lives. But when it is in the box, you do not know if it is alive or dead."

A snap and the cat breaks spilling white fluid out of the cracked remains of its limbs. The head has been twisted off as well.

"In this, ridiculous, situation the cat can be said to be both 'alive and dead', a superposition. An object that is in multiple 'positions' or 'states' at the same time.

In other words, by looking inside the box the one who either killed that cat or saved it isn't the box, nor the person who put it in the box. It is your curiosity.

Until you look inside the box, for you, the 'observer', that cat is both dead and alive. It exists in both states and only by observing it do you determine its fate for yourself."

The remaining parts of the cat lose their definition. The hairs melt and the shapes of its paws and head sink into the centre of the growing balls of wax that they have begun to form.

"The uncertainty principle of Heisenberg; it is an equation. But that name itself is a misnomer. For it is an in-equality, the left and right sides do not have to be the same."

Two balls of wax appear floating in the air. One begins to spin in a circle the other remains in place.

"It describes the conflicting idea; the more you know about something the greater your ignorance of another thing grows."

The spinning ball has begun spinning so quickly it no longer looks like a ball but a white ring.

"Some would say it is like the observer principle.

But it can't be fixed by using better techniques or equipment.

Nothing is being taken from the observed for it to be measured.

If you 'predict' or 'calculate' where an object is going, you will lose sight of where it is.

In reverse, 'knowing' or 'learning' where the object is, will stop you from seeing where it is going."

The ring and the ball suddenly crumble like dirt and flakes of wax scatter into the darkness on an unseen wind.

"You might think such a thing is insane.

But remember, our perception was never meant to observe the 'truth' of the world."

The figure raises a bare arm and the darkness expels a single simple chair, also made of wax.

"Its function was to maintain the flame called life, long enough for it to reproduce. It's fundamentally unfair to ask humans to realise this, like using a beer bottle for a telescope."

The figure sits down on the chair and places their clasped hands in their lap.

"By 'knowing' or 'observing' something, the very act changes the 'observed'.

In reverse by 'not knowing' or 'not observing' we can change the fate of the object."

The right hand begins to trace a circle in the left palm.

"There is a Black Magic, a dark law of Mara, which does this in cultures all over the world."

A glint from where the figure's eyes would have been pierces the darkness.

"The Evil Eye."

The glint disappears

"The application of the act of 'observing' something with evil intent, in order to 'realize' that very intent to reality.

It has many names.

Isabat al'-ayn in Islam.

Buri Nazar in India.

Bouda in Ethiopia.

Chashm zakhm in Persia.

Mal de ojo in Spanish.

Even in semi-isolated regions of the world, it is known. The Maka pilau of Hawaii.

Common, so often, in belief that it could be said it was one of the very first forms of mage-craft to exist.

To affect someone through merely looking at them…"

An exasperated sigh sounds in the dark.

"Such a thing would be considered un-natural. How can simply 'observing' have an effect on anyone? It wasn't a club or a sword, neither was it a rock or an arrow.

Thus it was ascribed to the realm of the occult, recorded in the works of history and superstitions both alive and dead."

The figure stands, and approaches one of the many floating candles in the air.

"This is the Doll's Mansion, a world built upon this very effect. Taken in by the horrific illusion of being 'observed', the psyche is gradually ground to dust."

The light illuminates the face of the person.

"Without rest, just watched, forever. Not a single thought or expectation is within those gazes, the only colour they receive is painted by the nightmares within one's self."

A wax face, a simple shape of a person's exterior. A mannequin made of wax stands alone in the void.

"Most suffer in fear and crumble under its gaze… thus self-murder, or is self-destruct more appropriate? Regardless it is not a place one can remain long."

The mouth of the wax figurine, twists into a smile sending cracks running across its cheeks.

"This an Estate for Effigies, the only things allowed are those that exist only to be observed."

The mannequin begins to shake and flakes of wax fall to the floor where tendrils of darkness spear and devour them.

"Dolls.

Without self-consciousness, 'things' that only have their existence noticed.

If you stay here, eventually, you will be turned into…

A Doll."

The mannequin collapses, limbs break and fall from their socket as the torso collapses and splits open on the ground before threads of darkness swarm over it like insects over a fresh corpse. The black floor bulges and wraps around the mannequin.

Once it flattens out there are no remains of the wax body or its parts.

Only the multitude of candles floating and melting, growing and fusing.

In the darkness.

**Mizuki Magari's Estate First Floor West Wing – Doll's Mansion – Yoshiki**

I ran into the West Wing corridor. The black things from the second floor crept down the stairs after me. I could only hope I could find something that would stop these things somewhere.

There was no regularity to them. Each was a different size or shape.

Vaguely humanoid bodies on top of string like legs with arms that looked like seal flippers.

Rounded blobs on thick stumpy legs and fat arms.

Triangular lumps with limbs that looped back on themselves as if someone had tied its arms and legs into knots.

The only thing they had in common were the eyes.

Eyes of varying shapes and sizes, but with the same black pupil and massive whites covered their bodies. Unblinking, unwavering they watched me.

The only way out of this wing is through the lobby. There were no stairs connecting the two floors besides the main one in the lobby, but I couldn't just stay there. It was either right or left at that time and I had gone with the one on my right.

The corridor is still covered with eyes. Already shadows are bubbling around each one.

I dodge a tendrils that suddenly sprouted from the wall, tipped with an eye that glares into my face as I avoid it.

Patches of hot and cold creep along my skin as I feel their gazes almost physically cut into me. My head hurts, the headaches grow with every glimpse I get of the pupil in each slit.

I tried closing my eyes, to shut out their gaze. But, I got a vision the moment after. I had been running blind down the straight corridor before suddenly running into something cold and wet. I opened my eyes in surprise and saw a single massive eye before my vision went red. I needed to see to avoid that fate, but the act of seeing was gradually killing me.

I duck under another tendril that reaches for me. I hope I can find something that might give me a clue how to get out of here. But with only a bath, music room, dining room, kitchen, and sitting room to investigate… my odds of finding anything relevant were pretty low either direction. I could only hope the second floor remained the same since I last saw it.

I keep on running down the corridor. I can feel them looking at me. The eyes are following my every move.

I rip out a vial of holy water from my pocket and throw it behind me. The small bottle flies directly at one of the black forms. Suddenly it disappears. The sound of glass shattering sounds from in front of me. The holy water I threw behind me is splattered on the floor in front of me. My head throbs, and I give up thinking about it. I've already figured out this place isn't normal. I turn and keep on running.

The dining room is up ahead of me. I can see the double doors cut into the wall. Eyes pockmark them and watch me approach it.

This corridor is a dead end. I can try to get them to follow me in here and dodge them. The floor plans showed a large dining table in the middle. I could either use it as an obstacle to slow them down, or grab a chair and hope hitting them would work. That was if these things couldn't walk through object. Still if the ghosts of those children in Heavenly Host couldn't simply pop out of the walls. These things might need to climb or walk around the table. Their legs don't look that steady and most limp or stumble after me. They aren't fast I can out maneuver them. I just need more room.

I run towards the door and reach for the gold handles preparing to twist and open it as I run.

*(Bang!)

"Ugh!" What the…? I just ran into the door. As I had reached for the handle suddenly I was already in front of it. My momentum had carried me into the hard wood and I slammed head first into it. My forehead throbs, not from an internal pain but an outer source. I'm right in front of the door, the golden handles are right in front of me. I reach for it again.

The door handle I reached for is black, and an eye stares back at me from it.

I jerk back. One of those things stands in front of me, one thin arm bent in front of it like a waiter.

I run backwards and I pass the dining room door as I do.

I had been turned 90 degrees to the right and almost ran right into the mass of shadowy bodies following me. Every time I thought I was going towards the door or tried to approach it I end up in a totally different direction. My head throbs and I shake it and turn around down the corridor.

The kitchen door further down the corridor doesn't have any eyes open on it. A single blank rectangle in the wall paper of eyes.

_I run to the kitchen. My hand grabs the doorknob, successfully, twists and pushes._

_There's nothing there. Just a pitch black void. I snap back away from the door, which continues to open._

_I reach into my pocket and grab a vial of holy water._

_"Take this!" I throw it. The vial doesn't even break. It simply disappears into the void._

_It opens an eye._

_Desperately I grab another and open it before throwing it._

_The water arcs through the air scattering red rays of light before being swallowed up by the darkness. I don't even hear the splash of it hitting the ground._

_Another eye opens._

_I take a quick glance to the right, the corridor is filled with a crowd of black shapes. They stagger, limp, or drag themselves towards me._

_Going any further down this corridor leads to a dead end. I can't go back. This is it. I take off my back pack and pull out a pack of talismans._

_*(PHWOOSH)_

_"! ! ! Whoa!" The packet bursts into flame as if someone had doused it in gasoline then lit it. I didn't even get a chance to use it._

_I look back towards the open kitchen door._

_Another eye opens, and then another, and then another._

_A sea of eyes of different shapes and sizes stare at me, no… into me._

_Their gazes rip into mine._

_The headache I had earlier explodes._

_My vision goes red and flashes of light sparkle around my vision, things come in and out of focus. I feel something wet going down my neck and another stream from my nose._

_I can't move, I am literally pinned to the wall by their gaze._

_"Hrk! Kuh! Nnnngg!" I struggle but the only things moving are my heart and lungs. The rest of my body doesn't respond. I can't escape, I can't run away. I can't even close my eyes._

_The eyes from the kitchen grow larger as they ooze forward, out of the door way. The ones that had followed me down this corridor slowly arrive._

_They gradually walk in front then around me. I'm surrounded._

_The shadows simply stand around me. Like paper cut outs, I can't tell if they have any depth._

_Black limbs dangle from misshapen bodies. Not a single sound can be heard besides my panicked breathing and pounding heart._

_The staring continues. I can't move, like a frog pinned to a dissection table I'm stuck. Their unwavering gaze feels like a scalpel pressing against my skin._

_I feel dizzy but my body doesn't sway. I want to lose consciousness but my eyes won't close._

_All of them just look at me._

_Why are they looking at me?_

_What do they want?_

_What do you want?!_

_Why are you looking at me?!_

_STOP!_

_STOP LOOKING AT ME!_

_I can feel every inch of my body being investigated. The act sharpens my own awareness of my own body. I can feel every defect every flaw. It's disgusting, uneconomical, imperfect._

_Who could love a thing this disgusting?_

_How could Shinozaki stand the sight of me?_

_I feel like I want to throw up but my stomach doesn't respond. The nauseating feeling of bile builds up inside me with no release._

_I'm the worst._

_I can't do anything._

_I couldn't protect my friends._

_I killed Suzumoto when I showed that doll to them._

_I murdered Morishige when I let him walk off on his own._

_I abandoned Yui-sensei, one of the first teachers who I actually liked, to fall to her death._

_I wasted Shinozaki's sacrifice when I went back into the Nirvana to save her._

_I failed that too._

_All I got back was an empty shell._

_No, worse I brought back a prison. A cage for Shinozaki's soul while Sachi played with her spirit. I even destroyed her family by doing that._

_I got Miki mixed into my problems, I almost got her… hurt…_

_Maybe my parents were right in throwing me away._

_I'm completely worthless._

_See? These eyes that look at me agree… They're looking at me the way I should be looked at._

_Like a cockroach._

_I'm a delinquent, scum of the earth._

_I want to disappear, to fade, to break._

_"Ha, haha." A choking laughter. Is that… my voice?_

_"Hurk, *(snort), hurk, kah, haha, ugh, hahahahha." What a disgusting noise._

_I can see the eyes, looking at me._

_My vision loses color, the patches of red corridor I could see in between the shadows turns grey._

_The sickening laugh I heard earlier gradually begins to fade, as if someone had turned the volume down on a speaker. The laughs gradually can only be felt by the vibrations they make as they are expelled out of my body. Gradually that fades too, and I'm left with just the eyes._

_Eyes._

_Eyes._

_Eyes._

_Eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes,eyes,eyes,eyeseyeseyeseyeseyesEyeSeYEsEyESEYEseYESeyEsEYESEYES…_

I pass the kitchen. But now I'm trapped. I can feel the things behind me looking at me. The only room beyond here is the sitting room. After that this corridor ends. I haven't tried breaking through one of the windows but I'm not sure I want to. The world outside doesn't even look like Earth. On top of that there are even more of those things outside. I can see them out of the corner of my eye, following my progress along the corridor.

The sitting room doors have patterned glass within them for decoration. Although dotted with eyes I can see a room beyond these doors. There is no void waiting to swallow me.

The doors open easily as I slam into them.

The first thing I notice about this room is the lack of eyes. The second is the mound of bodies strewn in the room.

The stench of blood makes my already nauseated body heave.

"OOoooeeeeee, *(hack, cough)"

They look like they've been cut apart by some bladed weapon. Body parts are strewn left and right across the floor. So much blood has been spilt that the carpet stopped sucking it up and was almost submerged by it. A huge disk of dried blood, surrounded by limbs, heads, and hacked apart torsos. In the centre was a single person by a shattered glass case. The body had been cut so many times almost all the skin was gone. I couldn't tell if it was male or female. In the midriff a single sword impaled the body to the ground.

What the hell happened here? Who were these people? Who did this?

A grandfather clock on the far wall in front of me ticks away the time.

I feel a chill against my spine.

Those things are behind me.

I can feel their gaze on my back.

I can't turn around, if I do I'm dead. If I look into those eyes anymore my mind will be broken and emptied out like a bag of garbage.

I feel those things getting closer. The chill on my back spreads climbing up my neck and slithering down my back.

I don't have to look into the eyes to be pinned in place. They're already sewing my body to the ground.

_I feel something press against my back, not a feeling but an actual object. It climbs up my back and strokes my neck. The material of my jacket is dragged along by whatever is touching me._

_*(Tick, tock)_

_Something wet slips down the back of my shirt. Like some brat had slipped a frog down my back. But this feeling isn't small like a frog. It feels like someone is pouring ice water into my shirt. Unlike water though it doesn't just flow off of me. It sticks and climbs its way over my skin. Wet shadows gradually swallow me._

_I once had to watch a video of a white blood cell engulfing a bacterium in science class. Folds of transparent cell stuff had wrapped around it, dragging it in, engulfing it. Was the same thing happening to me? Was the defence system of this mansion going to devour me?_

_The cold wet feeling has completely engulfed my chest. It's so cold but I can't even shiver. I can feel it swallowing my legs bit by bit. I think it's beginning to creep up my neck as well._

_My head is fixed in position, even my expression hasn't changed. Is this really my body? It feels more like a plastic model._

_I watch out of the corner of my eye as my right hand is swallowed. I only saw the thumb being swallowed but I can feel it. My hand has been eaten. The cold begins to spread up my neck._

_The grandfather clock swings its pendulum from side to side, taunting me with its freedom to move._

_*(Tick, tock)_

_First my throat._

_*(Tick, tock)_

_Then the jaw._

_*(Tick... to...)_

_Cold tar sinks into my ears causing the blood running inside me to thunder in them, drowning out the sound of the pendulum, before swallowing that sound as well. I feel it climb up my mouth and I see it coming up my nose._

_Small black fingers sprout from the edge of the shadow, like a flood of insects, touching my skin and crawling its way up me. They swarm up the bridge of my nose and over my eyes._

_And then I can't see anything._

_I can't hear anything._

_I can't smell anything._

_I can't taste anything._

_I can't feel anything._

_All 5 senses shut down._

_There is nothing. Nothing here._

_Am I going to be here like this forever? How much time has passed? Am I dead? Where am I? What's going on? Let me go! Get me out of here!_

_Please! Someone! Anyone! Where am I?_

_What's going on? Please! Somebody! Help!_

_Help me!_

_Help!_

_HELP!_

_HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPP!_

_PLEAAAAAAASEEEEEEEEE HEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP!_

_WHHHHEEEEERRREEE AAAAAMMMm IIIIiiiiIIIIIII? ? ? ?_

_WHHHHHOOOOOOOOO AAAmMMMMM IIIiIIIIIiIIII? ? ? ? ?_

_PPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE! ! ! !_

_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

I'm back in the sitting room, I'm still stuck the ground. I need to move. That thing is right behind me.

I try to break free, to shake myself, anything.

I can't move. I can't even quake in fear. I want to scream in frustration but my jaw is glued in place. My expression frozen in a frown of disgust and confusion at the sight before me.

I feel it.

It touched my back.

I need to move.

If I stay here I know what's going to happen.

The fear I felt moments ago is becoming a reality.

The shadow prods me again from behind and then strokes my neck. The rustling of the jacket brings a feeling déjà vu.

*(Tick, tock)

The grandfather clock counts my dwindling moments. It begins to slide down my shirt.

Wet.

Cold.

The one lucky thing of being frozen like this, I can't wet myself. My internal organs are frozen as well. The only things working are my brain, heart, and lungs.

The black tar finished consuming my torso, it moves down my legs and arms as I remember.

Is this it?

I saw what happened to me.

After this I'll be completely engulfed by this tar. All 5 senses will shut down.

I won't see, hear, touch, taste, or smell anything.

I'm going to be submerged in darkness with no escape. In nothing.

My thumb is covered in blackness out of the corner of my eye.

I've heard somewhere that the most effective form of torture is to simply deprive a person of all their senses.

They say if you leave someone for long enough like that they'll tell you anything.

The grandfather clock swings its pendulum. The tar swallows my neck and starts slithering into my ears.

*(Tick, tock)

A few more seconds and I won't hear anything.

*(Tick, tock)

A few more seconds and I won't see anything

*(Tick, tock*

In an unknown amount of time Kishinuma, Yoshiki will no longer exist.

*(Tick, tock)

Just an animal submerged in tar like an insect stuck in amber. Screaming silently for death.

*(Tick, tock)

I shouldn't have come here, of course this place would be as insane as its owner

*(Tick, tock)

Shinozaki… I'm sorry…

I want to cry, but my paralyzed body offers no outlet of expression.

Shinozaki… I wanted to see you… one more time… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…

*(Tick… to…)

Blackness.

The black overwrites everything in front of me.

I can't see.

I can't hear.

I can't smell

I can't taste.

I can't even feel the cold touch of the shadows that ate me.

I merely drown quietly in this silent abyss.

After this I go insane.

I will lose all sense of self, as I have lost all sense of the world around me.

I don't even know if I have a body left to feel with. My mind merely exists.

Just here, in a world where I don't know if I'm sitting or standing.

A world where there is no up, no down, no sense of direction.

Not even a sense of time.

…

How long have I been here? A few seconds? Hours? … Days?

I wonder how long I can last here. The panic is already beginning to settle in.

I hold it back, I know what it feels like already. I've been through this event.

I hope I can last longer than I did in my vision.

Even though I have no idea how much time had passed back then.

I have no idea how much has passed now.

…

Am I dead? I don't know. I have no way of knowing. Maybe my body was killed the moment I was swallowed by the darkness. I just never noticed it because I didn't notice it. Didn't Shinozaki say something about how spirit's who are murdered violently or with strong regrets are delirious? I don't know if my death was violent, but I do have regret.

A sharp pain in front of me wakes me from my thoughts.

? ? ?

For the first time in a long while… I see something… light.

A rectangle of white light, as if someone opened the door to a pitch black room. Its rays had stabbed into my eyes surprising me. I reach towards it, with hands I don't know exist.

A shadow appears in that light. Is it one of those things? No, it's too well formed. The limbs are normal in length and are straight, not bent, or twisted.

It's a person. A high schooler? Whoever it is they're about a head shorter than me. Detail pops in as I reach forwards.

A twin tails hairstyle, a gentle face with soft round cheeks, kind blue eyes.

"Shinozaki…"

Am I dead? did she come to get me?

"Shinozaki! Shinozaki!"

I can only yell out her name in joy. I can see myself again, I can hear my own voice. My eyes have already taken in her image. I pick myself off the obsidian floor and start running.

"Shinozaki… I…" My words stop… what am I supposed to say? Are we dead? How did you get here? What's going on?

Questions fill my mind but none of them are what I want to say.

"Shinozaki… I…!" She reaches up and puts a finger on my lips. The soft touch stops my vocal chords. Her sweet smell tickles my nose.

I end up just standing there, her round blue eyes gaze up into my face.

I step back from her, the soft touch breaks off from me. I shake my head to clear it.

"Shinozaki, we can't stay here. How did you get here?"

I was swallowed by those black things back in Magari's mansion. Was I knocked out and taken somewhere? They could have moved me simply during the time I couldn't feel anything. I look beyond Shinozaki, into the door way.

I don't see anything, just whiteness. Nothing but whiteness. I'm not sure if there's even anything there.

"Shinozaki?" Her blue eyes continue to look into mine, but she hasn't said a thing.

Is this an illusion? Is this some form of mental torture? She simply smiles at me, hands at her sides.

"Oi, Shinozaki what's wrong?" She doesn't reply but she closes her eyes and shakes her head.

"See you."

What? Shinozaki's voice rang in my ears. But instead of warmth I feel cold.

"Shinozaki, what are you say-!" My feet suddenly start sinking. The feeling is the same as those shadows, but unlike that time where I was silently smothered, they squelch and suck at my feet.

"Kuh! What the hell is this?!" The black ground drinks me in hungrily. My legs feel like they've been encased in concrete. It's already up to my knees.

"Dammit! Let!… Go…!" I continue to yank at my disappearing legs. My thighs freeze as they sink beneath the surface.

"Shit!... Arrrggggg." I reach out towards the one other person here. The thing that looks like Shinozaki doesn't try to help me. She merely looks down at me with the same small smile.

My chest is swallowed, I stick out my arms as far as I can reach but they don't even get close to where she stands.

"Dammit! GOD DAMMIT!" My voice sounds fruitlessly. My neck sinks into the shadow. The same rushing sound of fluid entering my ear followed by the total silence.

"Hrrk, hah. ! ! !, *(cough, hack, burble)" My head gradually sinks and I choke. Only my out stretched arms are above the surface and the fading sense of touch tells me they won't remain there long.

I claw at the air, trying to grab onto something. Anything. The numbness reaches my wrists and begins to pool on my palm. I stretch out my fingers as far as they can go, anything, anything to not go back to that void.

I feel the air with my sinking fingers for a moment, then the soft texture of skin. Someone traces my index finger with their own before pulling away. The remaining sense of touch I have is focussed on those last moments. The places where Shinozaki touched my fingers feels hot and cold at the same time.

Then nothing.

I'm back in this sea of nothingness. No feeling… nothing…

…

…

…

There is nothing here.

Only my feeling of isolation, and loneliness.

I can't even hear myself scream.

* * *

A vaguely humanoid, obsidian statue stands in the sitting room of Doll's Mansion. It looks like one of the plaster casts made of the people of Pompeii. Poor unfortunate people buried under volcanic ash. Their shape moulding it as it was compressed under its own weight. Leaving casts of their bodies as they rotted away in the dark forgotten earth. Only to be excavated and then buried in powder mixed with water as the living, in their curiosity, poured Gypsum into these natural tombs.

As Kishinuma, Yoshiki is consumed by the tar under the watchful gaze of the shadows… a single candle, its orange flame hidden and unnoticed due to the red sheen that has stained this place, wavers.

A drop of half melted wax, frozen in the same position since it has been placed there begins to tremble, then move.

The pendulum of the grandfather clock slows.

*(Ti...ck, to..ck)

*(Ti…ck, to…ck)

*(Ti…ck, …)

*(…, ti…ck)

*(To…ck, ti…ck)

*(To…ck, tick)

With each swing the ball of melted wax retreats back to the flame.

* * *

**A/N:** Ch28 done, in hindsight I might as well have called this segment "Doll House" or something, but what can you do. Hope you guys liked this bit, the next couple of bits (I don't know if it will take more than one chapter or not) are going to be relatively action packed.

Yep, quantum physics it messes with your mind. Haven't even brought in general relativity yet. (and I probably won't) I'm not a physicist though so sorry if I get any of it wrong.

Read and Review!


	29. ADF - Chapter 4 - Fight back

**Niwa Aiko's office – Perfect Life Promotion Agency Niwa Aiko**

"Vice-president." A man wearing sunglasses stands in the doorway. Niwa Aiko looks up from the stack of reports she was reading next to her high school homework. The setting sun illuminates her from behind through the window.

"Speak." Her tone is casual, but the content of her dialogue is brief and commanding. The man nods.

"Our monitoring party has radioed in, the mansion seems to have activated some sort of ritual after all." She sighs.

"Of course it wouldn't be easy, its effects?"

"We don't know. All we were able to monitor from outside is the disappearance of Kishinuma, Yoshiki. We cannot determine whether he is alive or dead but our team onsite say his signal is irregular, as if he's both there and not there, ever since he entered the East Wing of the house. They are also reporting feelings of being watched and headaches."

"Pull them out, I don't want to lose people for so little profit." She reaches over to an enlarged image of a Puri Kura photo. In it Ooue, Sayaka and Saenoki, Naho hug each other while she stands above them with a confused expression. Besides it lies a red hair ornament in the shape of a pentacle. Aiko picks it up with one hand and looks at it.

"I want you to handle this personally, also tell my secretary to phone the school and say I won't be in for the next few days. Cancel all my meetings for tomorrow as well."

"Understood, vice president." The man with the sunglasses bows then backs out of the room. She sets down the photograph and picks up the red pentacle.

"… I'm sorry Kishinuma-san, it looks like I've put you in a lot more danger than either of us expected." She smiles down fondly at the pentacle and holds it up to her face.

"But with this I can see you in action. How will you struggle, alone, against things beyond your understanding? Will you fight, or will you run?"

She brings the hair ornament to her chest and embraces it with both hands and closes her eyes.

"Are your emotions strong enough to save you Kishinuma-san?"

A blue glow begins to radiate from the pentacle and Niwa Aiko begins to chant.

"Amaterasu (Enkindler of the Heavens) the Divine Great God stated, 'Humans, defined as under the heavens, are the possession of gods'"

The lights dim. Even though the window is open and the electric lights are on, the room grows darker. The fluorescent lamp tubes neither flicker nor dim. The very light is no longer spreading through the room. Instead it bends and swirls towards the pentacle.

"For all cases, under all rules the true lord of the heart is God (Amaterasu) and gods alone."

All the light from the room has been gathered to the pentacle. Only the unearthly glow provides illumination in the now dark office.

"Let there be no hurt to pain my (God's) heart. For this…"

The numerous shelves and folders containing countless files of evidence and investigation begin to glow the same ghostly blue.

"Let the eye see no form of filth, and thus the heart shall see no form of filth.

Let the ear hear no tone of impurity, and thus the heart shall hear no tone of impurity.

Let the nose smell no fumes of mephitis (foul odor of the earth), and thus the heart shall smell no fumes of mephitis.

Let the mouth spout no foul word, and thus the heart shall spout no foul word.

Let the body touch no unclean object, and thus the heart shall touch no unclean object.

Let the mind think no impure thought, and thus the heart shall think no impure thought."

Tendrils of blue light thread their way across the floor and through the air snaking over or under the desk. They touch Aiko's body, merge and join her to the numerous sources of information surrounding her. The blue light begins to flow around her body encasing her in a wavering blue glow.

"From this time be with all vigor and pride.

As all the evils of the world will be as shape and shadow, if you are vigorous and proud.

Even if defiled it will be null, if the view is untaken nothing shall be gained.

From the flower shall the tree and fruit grow, for this body (existence)."

A bead of sweat travels down her face and her eyes are half closed with concentration. Strands of black and white hair move slightly as if brushed by a small wind.

"Is the Six Purified Senses"

The glow intensifies envelopes her. The flames flare silently once before spiraling around Aiko and into the center of the pentacle. The surface of the hair ornament glows red against the blue.

"Because of the Six Purified Senses, there is divine (serene) peace of the Five Viscera (Soul).

Because there is divine (serene) peace of the Five Viscera (Soul), there is binding between the gods of the heaven and earth.

Because there is binding between the gods of the heaven and earth, there is unity in the spirits of all things."

Deep within the basements below Niwa Aiko's office the numerous servers and archives of information; some collected by her, some collected by her subordinates, and some by her sister, radiate blue streams of light that swirl and flow before reaching upwards. The arms of light pass through floors, walls, and columns. Weaving their way up through the building. Most of the men and women in the building see nothing, the ones who do smile. Feelings of excitement bubble and burn in their chests as they observe their leader's dedication, effort, and power.

"Because there is unity in the spirit of all things…

No wish struggled for, here in this place, shall ever be left un-fulfilled.

The unsurpassable spiritual gift, God's blessing, be on this path!"

With that last exclamation the blue tendrils surge upwards flowing through concrete and metal. They reach her office and join the numerous glowing threads and cords surrounding her. Niwa Aiko grits her teeth and her brow is furrowed in concentration as the surge of light hits her. Eventually, the streams calm like a river after a flood. The mass of light separates out once again into numerous threads and gently wave around her as they connect to the culmination of work created by her, made for her, and left for her.

"This is the vice-president, I am taking direct control of this operation, all team leaders prepare for onsite debrief and mental fortification."

Her voice meets no reply but the pentacle glows with a deep crimson light illuminating her face from below, shadows are painted on her face as a bitter smile crosses it. "Now, time to go to work." The vice-president of Perfect Life Promotion Agency, Niwa Aiko closes her eyes in concentration.

**Roof Tops – Real World Mizuki Magari**

"Haaaa, she's doing it again. Only a bit more than a week has passed by and she's using that Reigu (Spirit Item)!"

Magari kicks her legs childishly while sitting on the edge of an office building a couple of blocks away from Perfect Life.

"Seriously, is she planning on throwing away her sister's sacrifice? Arghhh Mou! So annoying! I'd kill her if I were there right now!"

She slams a fist into the roof and the tiles crack under the impact.

"Haa-,oh well, if she's using that again I guess it's something pretty big."

Magari picks herself up and puts her left hand on her hip.

"All right Aiko-chan, I'll play along. But… I expect some proper entertainment. Now let's see the venue, the venue… Oh. Oh, my my." Magari's chilling smile is only matched by the freezing glare her eyes release.

"How cheeky of you all, a party at my old retreat… And I'm not even invited. Well don't they say, 'When the cat is away the mice will play'?"

Magari's scythe fades into existence upon her right shoulder. She catches it as it begins to lose its balance with her right hand. The setting sun glints off the silver blade.

"I can pick up 'those girls' on the way as well, 'two birds with one stone', there's no other way to call this situation, right Wald?"

From the shadows Magari's butler appears, gloved hands at his side.

"My lady, staying awake at night is bad for the skin." His deep voice suggests calmly and steadily.

"One night, once in a while, is alright. Prepare a workshop while I'm gone. I don't think that bandage freak left much."

"Indeed, my lady." Wald bows deeply once and retreats into the shadows. Magari is left alone on top of the building. Freezing winds blow around her and tousles her hair. The setting sun continues to illuminate world.

"If you survive 'that' mansion Kishinuma, Yoshiki… you'll be one step closer…"

Magari's face warps in a euphoric smile.

"One step closer to be my 'friend'."

A twin tailed figure jumps off the building, twirls once and plummets head first into the dark valley in between office buildings. The darkness swirls, swallowing up the faint sunlight, then subsides.

The rooftop is once again left empty.

The only sign of anyone having been here are the cracks on one of the tiles.

**West Wing Sitting Room – Doll's Mansion Yoshiki**

The first thing I realized was I was falling.

I landed on something that crackled as I hit it. Then the smell of blood seeped into my nose and I saw the red floor of the sitting room I had been consumed in.

My head felt heavy, dull. I just lay there for a moment. Exhausted.

*Tick, tock

The pendulum of the clock swung from left to right, or right to left, I don't know. I crawled on to my knees. This was no longer the void I had been trapped in, but it was still hell. The red glow from outside continued to pour in and I felt the crawling sensation of someone looking at me from behind. I simply kneel there. I have no more strength left to move. My blank eyes merely take in the slowly turning hands on the clock face.

*Tick, tock

It's over, all that's left for me to do is re-experience the feeling of being enveloped. This momentary burst of sensation is my only reprieve from that dark abyss. I don't know if this is a vision or if this is really happening to me. Just like I don't know whether the pendulum started swinging from right to left, or left to right. All I know is the pendulum moves, just as I know what my fate is from here. I'm just going to be eaten by the blackness. That's all I'm here for. Food. No less than that. Food is eaten for sustenance, for enjoyment. Its consumption serves a purpose. This is just like chewing a wad gum. No function, no meaning. Something just to pass the time. Only done because you have nothing else better to do. My suffering is exactly that, there is no meaning to it nor is there any gain to be had.

I just suffer.

My vision blurs. It's not because I stared into the eyes of those things. I'm crying. Tears are building up in my eyes and falling once they grow large enough. I don't even have the strength to blink them away.

It's over, I failed. Funny, the last time I cried was because I Shinozaki wouldn't stop eating the Nirvana. Wouldn't stop killing herself. Why am I crying this time?

Because I'm going to suffer? No, I've already been through this pain already. In my visions or in this loop I don't know. Crying now is meaningless, I should have already used up my tears by now.

Because I can't escape? Maybe, I've already tried to fight, I've already tried to run. All I've got left to try is to die. I don't know if I died in that darkness. I don't know anything at all from it.

My body begins to freeze. It's begun. From this point forth Kishinuma, Yoshiki's fate is bound. There are no choices, only the observation of the outcome. My blurry eyes wander across the room.

This place is my tomb, I die here, another body among the many hacked apart corpses that cover the floor. Entrails leak from torsos like fat worms burrowing into a fresh corpse. If only I could have been killed like that way it would have been over.

I look at the sword. It's a Japanese katana, about 70 cm long. It impales the last flayed body to the ground through the midriff, right where the stomach meets the rib cage. I don't have much time. If I want to break free of this loop that sword is my best chance. I don't have enough strength or confidence to bite my own tongue and die.

A sword has sharp edges. If that was the weapon that killed these people then it's definitely sharp enough. All I have to do is put my neck against the blade and slide down. Gravity will do the rest for me.

My body jerks like a puppet pulled on strings. It creaks and groans as I drag myself forwards. This is it… the end. It's either this or another loop through the void. The only other hope of salvation is to go completely insane. To lose all sense of self… and that would take longer.

I crawl over an arm as the pool of dried blood cracks under my weight like glass. I reach the corpse and the sword that supports it. My face is reflected in the silver blade. I look into the reflection. I can feel the things behind me staring into my back, but the only eyes I see in the blade are the grey color of my own. I blink.

There is nothing else reflected in the blade. Just myself. I look horrible though. My brow is creased with stress and my eyes are swollen and unfocussed. Tear stains run down my cheeks and my mouth is half open.

There is nothing else but myself in this room. The walls do not have eyes scarring them, neither do the floor or ceiling. Come to think of it, ever since I entered this room I haven't seen any of those eyes. I only felt their gaze and the cold touch.

Is there something different about this room? I look back into the sole reflection of myself in the blade.

I am the only one who stares back. If there's a reason this room is different from the others it's the weapon right in front of me. I don't know why or how it's doing this. But, if there is a way out... My jaw snaps shut and my eyes sharpen. I scrape my sleeve across my face and look into the blade again.

If there is a way out of this place, then I have to take it. I can't allow myself to be killed. Shinozaki… whether the vision of her I saw in that void was something this place had created or was some other apparition. I wanted to see her like that again. Alive, smiling… happy.

"Hrrk, guh."

I reach out and grab onto the handle of the blade and pull myself up. A chilling feeling travels up my arm into my chest. It wraps around me.

The gaze of the eyes in the mansion chilled me in spots. Like a flash light was crossing my skin. This chill is like cold cloth. As if someone was wrapping me in a towel that had been hung up to dry in winter. My vision flickers.

"Kuh!, Hah!" Blue sparks, my vision explodes in electric blue sparks. Static. The red room fades under the static. In its place a world of white expands. No features, no land marks. Not even a sky to look up at. The only thing here is another person with their back turned to me.

It's a woman her jet black hair is in a ponytail and she's wearing a white business shirt and black trousers. She shakes her head and the pony tail whips behind her. She turns.

Blue eyes, they're exactly like Shinozaki's.

"! GAH, haa, KUH!"

She looks me in the eye and I feel naked, almost as if her gaze has burned right through me. It's almost as if I were being stared at by one of those creatures. But, where their gaze cut through me, her eyes are like an azure flame. Their heat burns away anything in their way and leaves everything bare.

"I see, so that's how it is." Her voice is curt and business like. She nods once before blinking away the look. "Kishinuma, Yoshiki you seem to be in a bind." Matter of factly, there is no other way to describe her words. It ticks me off.

"Who are you? Where am I? What's go- ! ! !" The curved tip of a katana fills my gaze. The woman calmly points a weapon in my face.

"We don't have time, and I usually don't like working with anyone. It's not my style." The sword point doesn't waver at all. "But, as it is I can't move on my own anymore. I need help." She lowers the point of the sword and walks towards me. "Without me you won't be able to escape from here. I'll help you with your goal, in return help me with mine." She's a tall woman, a little taller than me by a few centimeters.

I don't like this, from what I can guess she's the thing that wrapped around me when I touched the sword. Either she's the sword itself or some sort of spirit trapped in it.

"Answer." What a bossy woman. I sigh, there's not much choice. If I don't answer yes it's back to the loop of being eaten by this mansion. If this sword doesn't possess my body somehow.

"Fine." I grunt out. Seriously, recently I've been pushed around by virtually everyone. Arrrggh! Why am I so weak?! I scratch my head in irritation.

"Good." The woman's expression hasn't changed once. Her calm visage hasn't betrayed the slightest hint of emotion. "My name is Shinozaki, San. Kishinuma, Yoshiki, at the very least make sure to keep up." I barely even have time to register her family name or her weird first name before the world around me sparks again and then fills with static. I shake my head and try to blink it out.

I'm back in the sitting room. The sword I pulled out of the ground is held by me in both hands in a normal kendo stance. The body it had supported has fallen backwards.

"First grab the sheath." San's voice rings in my head.

"Wha-?! Ugh!" The moment I questioned her a sharp pain came from my head, like someone hand bonked me over the head with their fist.

"We don't have time, grab the shea- duck." I hear a bubbling sound from behind me. I duck.

* * *

*CRASH

A tendril of black slams into the glass case sending it into the far wall crushing the grandfather clock. The sound of shattering glass and splintering wood rings. But Yoshiki doesn't have time to pay attention to that, another voice rings in his mind.

"Dodge right."

He jumps to the right and lands on his back, continuing his evasion with a roll. The tendril of black releases a hail of black needles directly below it turning the carpet where he had been into a pincushion.

The eyeless blob pulses once and begins to retract its temporary protrusions. The carpet and body parts below are covered in small, black holes.

"Get up, it's not finished yet." The woman's sharp voice betrays no fear or worry. There is only factual statement. If Yoshiki can be considered blunt then San can be considered to be completely edgeless. He gets up and holds the sword in front of him. Yoshiki has never taken Kendo lessons in his life, yet he is holding the sword in a serviceable stance. The sword is feeding him the experience he needs to use it.

The dark mass is no longer separated into humanoid blobs. It has been consolidated into a single mass. A huge pulsing black tendril. The rest of it snakes down the hallway filling it from wall to wall. It rises above Yoshiki like a massive snake, preparing to strike.

"What the hell is this?!" Yoshiki shouts. The sword doesn't answer, instead a feeling of concentration flows through him. He can see in his mind's eye San's eye's closed in concentration.

"Drop your fear." She orders him again.

"Ha?! How do I do- ! ! !" The mass strikes. Yoshiki steps to the right, the column of darkness impacts where he stood moments before. Once again it releases needles of darkness towards him. He moves forward; partly out of his own instinct, partly guided by another's experience.

"Drop your fear, it is the only way." Another command he doesn't understand.

"How the hell do I do that?!" San's irritation seeps through him.

"… It can't be helped, this may be a little rough. Prepare yourself."

Yoshiki blinks once in confusing before his eyes spark again, pulses of blue fragment his vision. The black snake pulls back preparing for another strike.

Then his vision fades into blackness.

* * *

_"Urgh… Wh-where am I…?" When I came to I found myself restrained. I couldn't move a muscle. I was lying face up on some kind of table with both my arms and legs firmly bound by… rope? I guess. Whatever it was, it dug into my skin._

_"Goddammit! Did I just pass out or something… and Shinozaki just told me NOT to look into his eyes._

_My head was the only part of my body that wasn't bound to the table, so I could look around the room a bit. The walls and ceiling looked like they were made of dirt or mud. It didn't look like I was in the school building anymore._

_It looked and felt like I was underground, more specifically a mine or bomb shelter or… something. Thick gloopy blood stains sunk into every corner of the room, the stench in the air sent shivers down my spine._

_It was apparent what this room was used for. At least, it was apparent as it needed to be. But the scariest bit was…_

_… I remembered this place, or I had a nagging feeling that said I'd been here before. Much like Shinozaki had said about that weird classroom just moments before._

_"What the hell is going on? How the hell did I get here?! Anyways, I have to escape…"_

_"Escape? Even though you already know you can't anymore!" The cheery voice of a small girl rang from beside me._

_"! ! !"_

_I turned to my left. The voice belonged to a little girl. At most she looked to be about 10 years old. A ragged red dress hung from her small shoulders and dead grey flesh peeked out from the numerous holes in the fabric. A massive smirk was carved onto her face and a condescending glint flashed from under a mop of long messy black hair._

_"… Sachiko… Huh?... Sachi…ko…?"_

_I surprised myself, a name whispered itself from my mouth without thought. How did I know who this girl is? Or even, who is Sachiko?_

_"Ha, so glad you remembered me! I wasn't able to kill you last time, but this time I'll take care of you to the very end. Just to make sure this script gets put in. So… take it out… your 'cutting'." The childish glee she greeted me continued up till the last sentence. Her voice became cold and adult like, demanding my piece of the charm._

_"Don't screw with me! A brat like you…"_

_*THUMP_

_My vision went white. I vaguely registered a metallic thump against something hard._

_"THUMP_

_"…Nghhk…ghhaaAAAAHH…AAAAAAHHH…HHHAAAAAAGGH! ! !" _

_"… 'A brat' you say?..." Sachiko's voice is calm, cold._

_"Urk…ghhh…you little…" Tears mixed in with my screams of pain. My legs burned, pain flooded both my legs with such intensity I wanted to cut them off just to make it stop._

_A filthy giant stood next to the girl. White less, pupil less, blood red eyes were open in a grey face with tears of blood flowing down the cheeks. The sledgehammer he held was still buried in the mess that had been my right ankle until a few moments ago. The impact had crushed the joint into a disgusting mess. Sprays of my blood were already beginning to dry on the table and walls joining the other red clumps that dotted them._

_"Urrr…rrrruurr…rrrraaAAAAGH!" The giant roared, his voice shaking the hammer. The vibrations rattled into the destroyed limb._

_"GGGGGGHHHHKK…GHHHH…GGGLLLLLRRK…" The pain wrecked through the rest of my body. My skin crawled like rats trying to leave a sinking ship my organs external and internal felt like they wanted to tear themselves out of me and run off from my crippled body._

_"Huhuhuhu." The little girl chuckles as if she saw someone else suffer a childish prank._

_"Starting from the tips of your toes, in order, I'll slowly crush everything for you. Now… Keep going." The last bit was directed at the giant._

_"Uuuurrrggh…Yesssh."_

_*THUMP… squelch_

_"AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHH! ! ! Aaaaahhhh…ahh, ugh, ha, AHH! !"_

_"I'll save your face for last. You're a little good looking, so it's a bit of a shame… but it'll be so funny when it's crushed and your eye balls pop out, I want to see it!"_

_"S-Stop… this…YOU…bggghhh…hhhaagh."_

_*THUMP, squelch_

_"GAAAAAAAAHHH! ! ! …ggghhk…kuh!" _

_"Huhu" The girl giggles, hiding it with one hand, then leans forward to whisper into my ear. "What a murderous glare. I wonder what I should smash for you next?"_

_"Fuck you… …. a brat like you… doesn't scare ME!…"_

_The girl pulls back away from me, a bored expression has replaced the leer she wore earlier._

_"Oh really? Well then… what about this?" She bends over and starts giggling to herself as if she remembered the world's funniest joke. "Hey, blockhead! Show this one the one we had earlier."_

_"Y…yesh"_

_The red-eyed thing puts down the hammer and walks out of my field of view. Bits of meat and bone are plastered against it. My blood trickles down it seeping into the dirt. Instead of relief my chest feels like it's caved in. Whatever Sachiko is laughing about… it's not good. That sadistic laughter twists my insides with worry._

_"…huh?"_

_*thump_

_The giant is holding something between its hands. It's mostly red with splotches of white and purple over it. The giant holds it up like a kid would a stray cat or dog they just picked up and want to show their friends._

_"So, what do you think this is?"_

_"Ahh…!" Is that a person? Red things dangle from its sides and below it where the arms and legs are supposed to be. The head is so swollen and bruised I didn't even recognize that it belonged to a person. Black threads trail from the top in random patches. Blood coats every strand giving it a wet glint in the dim light. The disgusting mass leaves me speechless._

_"…Kishi…numa…" A gasp, a voice filled with pain at every moment. A glint of blue peaks out from the swollen mess that was a face. My insides freeze._

_"… Sh…Shinozaki… … … SHINOZAKI! ! !" Shinozaki's body trembles. She's shivering with pain. I can't tell if the fluids running down her face are tears or blood._

_"… K..ill…m…me… kill me… please… ugh… ha… uh… kill me…" She looks at me pleadingly. Every word sends tremors across her body and in between each one she gasps in pain._

_"uugh… ahh…aaaahh…aaaAAAAAHHHHHHH! ! ! Shinozaki! SHINOZAKI! ! !" She cringes at my scream and the one open eye she has clenches in pain._

_"Eaagh…ghaaaaaahh…" Shinozaki's blood runs between the giant's fingers. Her crushed body dangles between callous hands._

_"STOP! ! ! DON'T TOUCH HER YOU BASTARDS! ! ! FUCK! ! ! YOU FUUUUUCKS! ! !"_

_"AAAAHAHAHAHA, HUHUHUHU, HEE, HEE, HEE." Sachiko is bent over with laughter. "That's good Oni-chan! How sad you must be. How hated we must be. Wouldn't you just loooove to kill us?" She slowly walks towards me blocking out the image of Shinozaki's body. "Sachiko is kind, so Oni-chan won't be killed yet. But if 'I'll kill you' ever turns into 'Please kill me' then, at that time, I'll kill you. Just… for… you…" She whispers the last three words into my ear before lightly lapping up the tears from my cheeks._

_"If that hatred doesn't change, even after you die. Then maybe you'll be able to become me, I guess…"_

* * *

"GUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" I scream scrabbling up from the floor, the world is red. I get up and back pedal slamming into a wall.

"UGH!" I slide down, my heart beats in my ears drowning out all other sounds. Shinozaki… Shinozaki… I…

"Wake up." A cool voice rings through my head. "I don't have time to baby you around. Neither do you. Wake up." The sitting room is bare. The black mass is gone. Only the wreckage of the glass case and clock, as well as the shattered floor suggest anything was here.

"What the…" The pain that was going through my body is no longer there. Not even a faint burning or numbness. The mental whiplash from going from agony to normal feeling makes me nauseous.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" I collapse. Cold sweat pours out further chilling me. San's mental sigh brings me back a little.

"The thing that attacked you is an illusion based around fear. In order to break your perception of it I had to overload your senses with a different fear." My racing pulse gradually slows down as my body tells my brain that nothing is wrong. I gradually get a grip on my sanity. That thing I saw wasn't real. That never happened. I look down at my right hand. The silver blade reflects grey eyes back at me.

"What the hell did you do?"

"I showed you something that would terrify you. If you can't stop fearing 'it' you need I needed you to fear something else."

"What the hell is 'it'?"

"'It' is monster that eats fear. The primordial fear of what if something is watching you from the shadows. The fear you feel when you do something bad and you don't know if someone or something saw you." San calmly explains. I've gotten control of my stomach and I lean back against the wall.

"And, what are you?" San snorts as if amused by the question.

"Just another foolish spirit trapped in a sword."

"You said your name was Shinozaki, San are you related to…"

"Yes, I'm related to Ayumi. I guess a distant aunt is would have been my relation. By the way San uses the character 'to be revealing or shining like the sun'." She anticipated my next question and answers before I could ask.

"Why do you know about Shinozaki?"

"I've already seen everything Kishinuma, Yoshiki. I know everything about you, especially since you have no protection or training. Although, I am specialised at finding things out."

"tch…" Frustration flows through me. She knows everything? Was that the feeling of burning I got when she looked at me?

"Yes, it was. And before you ask I didn't have to read your mind to come up with an answer. The look of confusion spoke enough."

"So… are you going to possess me or something?"

"It wouldn't make any difference even if I did, it would just go back to the beginning. Anyways, I need your help as well. I said when we first met, 'I'll help you with your goal, in return help me with mine.'"

"What are your goals then?"

"Killing Magari wouldn't be a bad start, then after that every other Grave of Maltuva member. I can settle for more or less though."

"… Did you kill these people?"

"Indeed, they were Grave members looking for valuables. I used the one that picked me up to kill the rest then made her commit suicide."

I don't have much sympathy for the Grave of Maltuva but the tone San used to describe what she did was the same one someone would use when talking about a chore or homework.

"Look kid, you can ask questions about me later. The thing that was here earlier isn't dead. Redirecting your fear earlier only confused it."

"How am I supposed to take care of something like that?!" That black mass was huge. Even with a sword it would be like poking an elephant with a tooth pick.

"It only got so big because of your fear, although it's not entirely your fault."

"What do you mean?"

"That thing is a mixture of two spells. One is projection of the evil eye. One or two would only give you mild discomfort but with this many images they can actually drive you insane. They're based around drawing out despair in others, feelings of self-loathing and disgust are reflected in them. The second is the beast I talked about earlier. It feeds on the fear of 'what if'. The sudden chill you might get in a room with nothing in it or a sudden feeling that someone is watching you. That is its food. Together they make a simple but deadly combination. The beasts carry the evil eye spell all over it. If you look into them you'll go insane but if you don't look at them that feeling of uncertainty will feed the creatures carrying it."

"…dammit… how do I fight that?" It's a mental pincer attack. If I look at them the eyes will kill me, if I don't I'll end up making those shadows turn into that massive blob. It's a lose-lose situation.

"Don't worry about it, both of them are only really effective against someone who doesn't know what they are. Simply knowing what it is should reduce its effectiveness. What's more…" The blade glints. "I specialize in destroying illusions and hallucinations. You just take me to their source. I'll do the rest."

"The source?"

"Their point of origin. Both spells need a source to begin working. A seed of fear to grow in the victim. Without that they would remain completely dormant."

The bed, that's where this all started. When I lifted up the sheets to look under it I saw a mass of eyes looking back at me from the shadows. Is that the source?

"Yes, the bed. Underneath it is the source of this curse. You activated it the moment you looked under the bed. More specifically you collapsed the 'uncertainty' of whether this world was there or not. Regardless, take me there and I'll deal with the rest."

*Squelch

Wet footsteps begin to echo from the hallway.

"They can sense you right now. We're going to have to hurry."

I get up, already I feel afraid. I can't see what's outside the door or down the corridor. I don't even know if I can really trust what San is saying. But I can't stay trapped in this red world. I need to get out. If getting rid of the entire thing is the only way then that's what I do.

I take off my back pack and dump it on the floor. It'll only slow me down.

"Just get to the bed room."

"Yeah, I got it stop repeating it already." I shift my grip on the sword and walk into the hallway.

"… kuh." There are already five of those things in the hallway. Their black eyes stare at me. I can tell what San was talking about now. The sickening feeling, the headaches. I've felt it before. I felt it when I couldn't stop Shinozaki from going into the Nirvana. I felt it when I thought I couldn't stop her from sacrificing herself.

"Hmph, you still fear them, do you?"

"Of course, asking me not to is crazy."

"Haaa, fine I'll give you a confidence booster. Lift me up."

I bring up the sword in front of me. San's experience again tells me how to hold it properly.

"… My name is San." Her voice echoes in my head. "My origin is to reveal."

The eyes that were staring at me directly twitch.

"Upon the name of Shinozaki I beseech thee, oh ancestors of mine. Let not our burden be forgotten nor our labors unrewarded."

The pupils that had been unmoving now waver, trembling.

"Let my eyes see the truth of the world and the truth of the soul."

The eyes grow wide before bursting into azure flames. The blue glow consumes them like burning paper. They crumble and fall off the black masses. Their bodies didn't even scratch at the flames.

"In front of me any illusion is useless. Now Kishinuma, get ready here they come."

"! ! ! Hah!"

The black shadow closest to me toppled forward. It landed on the floor with a wet thump before releasing a single black spike towards me.

"Kuh!" I dodge to the left, the spike spears the air next to me. I take a step forward and swing at the same time. The shadow barely resists under the blade and separate in two. The shadow that had reached for me flies off and into the wall behind me the one that remained on the floor collapses in on itself like a deflated balloon.

Four more, the first step I took brought me closer to the next one. It looks like a gingerbread man an elementary school kid had made. I step in again as I swing from its bottom left hip and the blade comes out its right shoulder.

I don't stop, even before the severed body of the gingerbread man hits the floor I'm already cutting down the third. This one was cut right down the middle from head to toe. With each step I swing. Each one straight and true.

The fourth shadow has time to react. I've crossed three meters in three steps but I'm forced back one as its arms shoot out and stab the floor I was standing at. I lunge and swing cutting off the arms then it from the right shoulder to the midriff. The fifth one was standing next to the fourth. I simply turn and swing at the same time. The top half is knocked off the bottom and splatters onto the floor.

"Ha-, ha-, ha-… whoa." I breathe in and out heavily.

"Don't be too amazed with yourself, I gave you a hand. It would annoy me greatly if my sword was blunted or broken because you don't know how to use it properly. Really, amateurs." San's calm, if slightly annoyed, voice rings through my head.

"Right, got it." I look back at the hallway. The remains of the shadows are already beginning to evaporate.

"We can't stand around doing nothing, let's go."

"Fine, fine, I said I got it." I feel a sharp pain as if someone's pinching my cheek.

"Don't back chat with me. Now hurry up I've had enough of this place."

"GAAAAH, God Dammit! Why do all the women in my life boss me around so much!" I snap.

"Blame the star you were born under." The pinching feeling stops. "The enemy comes, get ready."

The kitchen doors open and 3 more of the black shadows stumble out.

"…tch, there were still more of them?"

"They'll keep coming until you're dead or the curse is broken. Your stamina isn't unlimited. Hurry."

"Alright then, come at me you bastards."

I charge. Time for some payback.

* * *

**Character Details**

**Shinozaki San**

**Job:** Spiritual Investigator

**Description:** Height 175cm

Bust: C cup

Weight 60kg

Has; long black hair that she has tied in a pony tail most of the time, sharp azure eyes, flames appear to dance within them at times.

Wears black pants and a white business shirt.

**Weapon: **A collection of hand made paper talismans, chalk for basic rituals, a single katana with a blade 75cm long (had no spiritual ability previously besides being made of high grade materials. Now contains her soul. Can possess people who wield it and speak to them.)

**Spiritual Abilities:** Is unaffected by most if not all illusions or hallucinations. Can focus her ability to incinerate them. Also a good swords woman. Has also a basic mastery of most spiritual techniques such as binding, sealing rituals, clairvoyance, and psychometry.

**Origin:** Revelation

**Cause of Death:** A single blow to the neck from Magari's scythe, her soul ended up being trapped in her weapon and was taken as a trophy by Magari. She left San behind because she knew San would kill any Grave members who touched her.

**Personality:** Blunt, sometimes even cold hearted. A lone wolf operative.

**Appears in: **Corpse Party: Cemetery The Creation of Ars-Morendi

Born to the Shinozaki family but left it due to personal reasons. Continued destroying curses and evil-spirits after leaving the Shinozaki Family. Ran into the Grave of Maltuva multiple times due to this and infiltrated one of their bases by pretending to be caught. Met with Saenoki, Naho during this time and gave her a key card to escape but told her not to follow her. Later met Mizuki Magari and attempted to fight her. Due to Magari only using illusions on her in all their previous encounters she assumed Magari couldn't fight in close combat. That cost her dearly.


End file.
